My Own Version of the Buffyverse
by BuffyL
Summary: If you're a fan of my stories, you've already read this one. I'm reposting it because the original was messed. BA as always for the ones who haven't read this. Please RR again
1. Memories

Summery: Faith is out of jail and marring Spike. Buffy is married to Angel. Faith and Buffy are friends again thanks to Angel. Instead of Darla having Conner, Buffy and Angel made love that day they went to see each other between LA and Sunnydale and Buffy got pregnant with Conner. She is about 7-8 months along in this story. Almost everything that happened from "Doublemeat Palace" and "Offspring" on has never happened. Angel never destroyed the Gem of Amara; he just put it away for VERY safekeeping. And Tara is not going to die in my Buffyverse! That's too twisted even for my mind.  
  
This is the twisted tale that my friend Stephanie R. and I have thought up in our warped brains. My part of the story tells it from the P.O.V.s of Angel and Buffy. Steph's is from Spike and Faith's P.O.V.s. I just decided to write it all down. Luv U "Faith"!  
  
Chapter 1  
  
"Angel, are you coming or not?" Buffy called from downstairs. She and Dawn were waiting for Buffy's husband to hurry up and get down there. Dawn had dance class to get to and Buffy had a doctor's appointment for the baby growing inside her.  
  
"I'm coming! Buffy, where's my leather duster?" his voice sounded from upstairs in Buffy and Angel's room.  
  
"It's down here in the living room! Would you come on? Today is Conner's last ultrasound!" Buffy called.  
  
"I know, I know!" Angel came darting down the stairs and took the duster from Buffy. "Thank you. You really shouldn't be on your feet so much. You've only got a few weeks left."  
  
"I know, but I have responsibilities too." Buffy stated as they rushed out the door, Buffy stopping to lock it.  
  
"Buffy."  
  
"I know, I didn't mean slaying! I meant to Dawn and. other. people."  
  
"Buffy."  
  
"Hey! I'm just saying."  
  
"BUFFY!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Your coat is caught in the door."  
  
"Oh. I knew that." Buffy said blushing and unlocking the door, pulling her coat out of the doorframe. Dawn giggled at Buffy. "Hey, don't make fun! I can't help it that these clothes are so huge! It's because I'm huge!"  
  
"You're not huge." Dawn said.  
  
"You're absolutely radiant." Angel said taking Buffy's hand and leading her to the car.  
  
Buffy climbed in the black Plymouth GTX convertible. She had to move the seat back so her belly wouldn't be smashed in between her and the dashboard.  
  
"Radiant, huh?" Buffy asked bitterly.  
  
"Yes." Angel started the car and backed out of the driveway. Within 10 minutes they were parked outside of Madame Curie's Dance Studio around the corner and about two blocks from the Magic Box.  
  
"Here we are Dawn. Got your bag?" Angel asked.  
  
"Yup. I'm set. So I'll see you guys when I get home." Dawn said stepping out of the car.  
  
"Wait, we're coming to pick you up in an hour."  
  
"Actually, I have to go with Cassie and help her out on our science project."  
  
"Just remember, I'm going to call and make sure you're there."  
  
"I know Angel, geez!"  
  
"Bye Dawn."  
  
Dawn shut the door and walked up to the door, opening it and walking in. Since Angel had moved back to Sunnydale and back into Buffy's life a few months ago, he and Dawn had been almost inseparable! If Buffy said no to something, Dawn would just run to Angel and ask him. Buffy recalled the conversation she had had with Angel a while ago.  
  
  
  
"You're spoiling her! You let her do everything against my permission." Buffy had said.  
  
"I don't mean to Buffy. It's just that she's like a daughter to me and I've never been a father!" Angel said.  
  
"Are you going to spoil the baby too?"  
  
"Of course!"  
  
"But we have to work together on this Angel."  
  
"We will."  
  
"Every decision we make for our child will be talked over between the two of us before we do anything, right?"  
  
"Always. Buffy, I would never do anything that would upset you too much. I'm sorry that I'm doing it now."  
  
"Well, stop."  
  
"I'll cut down on the spoiling Dawn too. Happy?"  
  
"No."  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"I want some strawberries!"  
  
  
  
He had laughed at that and gone out to get her strawberries. She was even more in love with him now than she had been the whole time she had known him! He was so sweet to her. His mood had changed also. He wasn't as broody and he smiled and laughed a lot more! Buffy was still swamped in memories. She remembered six and a half months ago when she had first found out she was pregnant.  
  
Buffy had spent the past week's mornings with her head in a toilet. She hadn't known what was wrong with her until she had fainted one night on patrol with Spike. He had dragged her to a doctor. When she had found out she had fainted again. She had had no clue who's it could have been at first. Spike had taken her back to his crypt and they had talked about it the next morning when she had woken up. They brought the list down to two (not that Buffy had slept with more than one person in the last three months), but it was a little impossible for both of those people. Finally after talking to the doctor, Buffy had decided that it must have been Angel's. The doctor had given her a time around when the baby was conceived and Buffy had been with one person around that time: Angel.  
  
She had called the Hyperion to talk to Angel, but he hadn't been there at the time. This made Buffy start to think that maybe the Powers wanted this whole thing to happen and that maybe she should go talk to him in person. So, she had loaded up the Jeep, told everyone that she was going to LA to try and find her father, and left. Dawn hadn't been home, but Buffy had been grateful for that because Dawn would have wanted to come with her and that would only have complicated things for Buffy even more than what they already were.  
  
Buffy drove for two hours to LA and then located the Hyperion. When she walked in, a tall and handsome black man that introduced himself as Gunn had greeted her. He had thought that she was a client looking for help at first when she asked for Angel. He hadn't been there then either, so Buffy waited with Gunn. No one but him and a demon named Lorne had been there. The demon, Lorne, had been very kind to her. Gunn explained that he could read a person's essence and tell their destiny when someone, or something, sang. She had turned down THAT offer, having only recently just sung way too much not too long before.  
  
"You look familiar. Do I know you?" Gunn had asked.  
  
"I lived in LA once." Buffy replied.  
  
"Maybe. What's your name? I'm better with names."  
  
"Buffy. Buffy Summers."  
  
"Wait! Buffy Summers?"  
  
"Yeah, why? I am a little famous around LA. I burned down Hemery High School's gym a few years ago."  
  
"Are you from Sunnydale?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"So YOU'RE Buffy! Angel talks about you all the time. You're the one he fled to a monastery for three months over."  
  
"Really? Angel never told me that!"  
  
"He sure did. You know, he said that he had betrayed you by living."  
  
"He did?"  
  
"Yeah, he said something like that because he was okay and you were, well, you know, that he felt he was betraying you. That no one had mattered as much as you had, or do, and when he lost you, it didn't kill him."  
  
"Wow."  
  
"I know. Cordy reassured him that he was honoring you by living."  
  
"Oh. Where is Cordy?"  
  
"She's out with Wesley."  
  
That had been a fun conversation. Gunn and Lorne had told Buffy how Angel had been after he had gotten the news she had died. Then how he had been after he found out Willow brought her back. Then how he had been after seeing her and being able to hold her again. They had talked for almost two hours in Wesley's office when Wesley and Cordelia had walked in.  
  
"Buffy?" Cordy and Wesley had murmured when they had saw her. Buffy stood up and looked at them. Cordy had then rushed over and hugged her. THAT had been severely awkward! But not as awkward as Wesley hugging her. They had shot too many questions all at once at her and it had wigged her out a little. She tolerated as long as she could, or at least till THAT FEELING came over her. The feeling she always got when Angel was near. Buffy had walked out of the office and seen him walking up the stairs. She had followed him up to a door that he walked through and shut the door. When she had walked up to the door and knocked, he called, "Leave me alone right now! I had a weird day, come back later." Buffy had knocked again. The door was swung open suddenly and Angel had been standing there saying, "I thought I said." his words trailing off as he saw who was at his door. She had smiled at him weakly and he had ushered her into his apartment slash hotel room. Before she could turn around he had pulled her into a tight embrace, then, forgetting himself, tilted her head up and kissed her passionately. They had talked a lot since those few days between LA and Sunnydale at that little hotel near the beach. When she broke the kiss he immediately knew something was up and it wasn't him, yet.  
  
"What's the matter?" he asked.  
  
"Matter? As in problems?"  
  
"Yeah, I guess."  
  
"Well, in that sense, not a darn thing. But there is something."  
  
"Come here. Sit down. What's up?" She followed him to a stuffed chair and sat down. He sat in a chair that he brought from the other room, across from her.  
  
"Well, I've never exactly had to say something like this to anyone. I practiced it though. Maybe I can get it right." When he didn't answer, she went on. "Ok, I. was sick the past week. I fainted on patrol." He sat up straighter and looked at her. "Spike was with me, don't worry. Anyway, he took me to the hospital. They checked me out and determined that there was nothing wrong with me. But they did have news for me. News that will change my life. and yours."  
  
"Buffy?"  
  
"Angel, I'm pregnant."  
  
"What?"  
  
"And it's yours."  
  
"Excuse me, I'm hallucinating. Did you just say you're pregnant and it's mine?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"That's impossible!"  
  
"I know, but it's not cause it's happening."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Positive."  
  
Angel went silent. It made Buffy very nervous and suddenly uncomfortable.  
  
"Angel, say something!"  
  
"I love you."  
  
"I love you."  
  
"Buffy, we're going to have a baby!"  
  
"I know."  
  
"We're going to be parents! Together!"  
  
"I know."  
  
Angel had jumped out of the chair and pressed kisses all over her face and then her stomach. Then he had taken her downstairs and announced it to everyone. They had all been stunned at first. Then a girl, Fred was her name, burst forth and threw her arms around both of them and congratulated them. Then Cordy came up and did the same. Followed by everyone else. She had been a little freaked, but had quickly got over it.  
  
  
  
"Buffy?"  
  
Buffy looked over at her husband.  
  
"Where were you?"  
  
"Memory lane."  
  
"Oh. We're here."  
  
"Ok." Angel came around and helped her out of the car. They walked to the front desk of the little doctor's office and told the nurse there that Buffy Summers was here for her checkup. After five minutes, a nurse came out and called them in. She led them to a room and informed them the doctor would be with them in a moment. They waited another ten minutes before the doctor, Dr. Lemmon, came in.  
  
  
  
"He's a healthy growing boy and he's right on schedule." Angel said as they sat in the living room of the Summers' home. He had his head on Buffy's stomach and was slowly rubbing the rounded part of her tummy where Conner was, softly cooing.  
  
"I heard." She smiled at him.  
  
"Hello little guy. It's your daddy. I love you and I'll see you in a few weeks."  
  
Buffy giggled. She never thought she would see Angel cooing at her stomach.  
  
"I love you." he said looking up at her.  
  
"I love you too."  
  
They kissed and Buffy smiled. Soon they were supposed to go see Faith and Spike to let them know how Conner was doing. For now though they were here together, and they were all alone. 


	2. Friendly Visits

Chapter 2  
  
"Hey B!" Faith said as she opened the door to her apartment. "Spike! Get your ass out here. Buffy and Angel are here. Come on in guys." She stood back to let them in and then followed them to the couch where Angel helped Buffy sit easily.  
  
"I can't wait till I can do that on my own!" Buffy said.  
  
"But until then, you have me." Angel said sliding one arm behind Buffy's back and putting his free hand on Buffy's bulging stomach.  
  
"I'm glad I don't have to go through that. Unless there's some prophecy about Spike getting a slayer pregnant, I'm as free as a bird." Faith retorted.  
  
"Hey, they're doing amazing things with science these days." Buffy said.  
  
"Even if they could, I wouldn't let them poke around down in THAT area." Spike said coming out of the bedroom. "I've had to deal with way too many scientists poking and prodding me already!"  
  
"Not our fault sweetie." Faith retorted.  
  
Spike came over and sat down by Faith, slipping his hand in between her thighs but not doing anything. Buffy sat there holding Angel's hand and putting her other over his on her stomach. They sat there in silence for a little while before Spike broke the silence.  
  
"So, where's Little Bits? She was supposed to be here too."  
  
"She went to her friend Cassie's house." Angel said.  
  
"Oh. Are you sure?"  
  
"Yeah. I called her mom before we left to tell her where we would be if she needed us."  
  
"Good, cause we all know what happened Halloween."  
  
"Buffy?" Faith asked. She had been staring at the blond slayer sitting there seeming to be off in another dimension. Besides, in Sunnydale you never knew. "Buffy."  
  
Finally she stirred and asked, "Huh?"  
  
"Where were you?" Faith asked.  
  
"Somewhere were I'm in bed asleep."  
  
"You know, you don't really have to be here."  
  
"Are you trying to get rid of me?"  
  
"No, but I'm concerned about you. You're always drifting off lately."  
  
"It's Conner. I've been tired ever since I hit the seventh month."  
  
"How is the little guy?" Spike asked.  
  
"I'll let Angel tell you. He seems much more excited than I am for the day Conner comes into the world." Buffy said.  
  
"He's a healthy growing boy and moving right on schedule." Angel said, the proud daddy look coming over him again.  
  
"Good. How are you Buffy?" Spike asked.  
  
"Tired, hungry, my back hurts, my feet hurt, and wishing I could sit like I used to before I got bulgy. But other than that, peachy." She retorted.  
  
"Sounds fun. Hey Spike, maybe we could get a sperm donor!" Faith exclaimed.  
  
"Like hell we are! If we are ever going to have a baby, I want it to be MY little swimmers making the thing! And, seeing as how THAT'S never going to happen, we're fresh outta luck." Spike said.  
  
"Hey! Do NOT get touchy with me. I'm not the one who went and got bit and changed! I'm too smart for that!" The two vamps in the room fidgeted a little. Then Spike looked at Faith angrily.  
  
"At least I'm not the slayer who was WORKING with them." Both the slayers in the room squirmed.  
  
"You were two ass munch!"  
  
"Good point, but still! I'm a vampire, I'm evil! I'm SUPPOSED to work with them."  
  
"Not anymore, but you can keep telling yourself that. You're neutered."  
  
"Hey, that was against my will!"  
  
"Yeah, well guess what. Most DOGS object to it!"  
  
"Are you calling me a dog?"  
  
"Maybe I am. What are YOU gonna do about it? You can't hurt a FLOWER!"  
  
"Hey, I can bloody well hurt a flower!"  
  
"Yeah sure."  
  
"I can! Stupid twit!"  
  
"Bite me!"  
  
"Gladly." Spike leaned in to take a bite out of Faith.  
  
"GUYS!" Buffy and Angel yelled together. Spike and Faith looked over at the two on their couch.  
  
"Thank you. Look, maybe we better go." Buffy said.  
  
"You don't have too. We'll be good. I promise." Spike said.  
  
"No really. We really should go. Dawn is supposed to come home soon and we were going out to eat." Angel filled in as he stood up.  
  
"Oh. All right. Come back soon." Spike said.  
  
"We will." Angel answered helping his wife up.  
  
"Bye Faith. Bye Spike." Buffy said as Faith led them to the door.  
  
"Bye Buffy. You let us know if something is going on with Conner." Faith said.  
  
"We will." Angel replied. They walked out the door. They could hear Faith turn around and say something obscene to Spike.  
  
"Boy, they are perfect for each other, aren't they? Those lovely little fights occur a lot." Buffy said as she got into the convertible.  
  
"I give them a year before Faith gets fed up and stakes him or tortures him to death." Angel said.  
  
Buffy just laughed.  
  
  
  
"That dinner was good." Dawn said.  
  
"Yup." Buffy said.  
  
"You ate, like two bowls full of that fettuccini alfredo with grilled chicken Buffy!"  
  
"Yup. You know, I could go for a sundae with Reeses Peanut Butter Cups."  
  
"You're still hungry?"  
  
"A little. Angel?"  
  
"I know, I'm headed that direction." Angel said.  
  
"Want anything Dawn?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Um, I could go for that fudge brownie sundae thing."  
  
"Whatever you want. Right Angel?"  
  
"Absolutely."  
  
They pulled up and were about to go through the drive-through when Buffy spotted Xander's car.  
  
"Angel, park. I want to go in." Buffy said.  
  
"All right, but Dawn needs to get to bed. She has school in the morning." Angel said, parking the car.  
  
They headed in and Angel went to order the ice cream with Dawn tagging along. Buffy said she was going to go sit down. She headed over to Xander, sitting with his back turned to her, and stopped right behind him.  
  
"Drowning your sorrows?"  
  
He looked up at Buffy and smiled as she sat down across from him at the table. "Not anymore. What are you doing here? You're supposed to be at home resting."  
  
"I got a craving for ice cream and Reeses. What can I say? The baby made me do it!"  
  
"I can see that. How is he?"  
  
"Growing and on schedule."  
  
"Still gonna use my name as Conner's middle name?"  
  
"Yup."  
  
"Cool."  
  
"How are you?"  
  
"Coping." He paused and looked into his giant bowl of multicolored ice cream. "She hates me."  
  
"She doesn't hate you. She may be a little pissed off at you, but she doesn't hate you."  
  
"I left her at the alter Buffy. I was scared that. Never mind, you wouldn't understand. You made it past the alter."  
  
"Try me Xand. I've had my fair share of guys leaving me."  
  
"Not at the alter."  
  
"Ok, you got me there, but I know how it feels to have someone I love very much tell me that he's leaving me."  
  
"You're with him now."  
  
"I am, but you can always trust me Xand. Always."  
  
"I.I was afraid that I would become my dad. I saw him and mom at the wedding at the bar. He was drinking and she was cursing at him for drinking so much and getting drunk at his son's wedding. I couldn't take it anymore."  
  
"Xander."  
  
"See, I told you you wouldn't understand."  
  
"I do understand. You weren't ready. You know what I think? I think that you and Anya are going to make up and when you are both ready, then you'll try again."  
  
"She doesn't want anything to do with me. I've left a ton of messages, but I get nothing from her."  
  
"She'll come around. I promise."  
  
"How would you know?"  
  
"I'm a girl. We have lapses in judgments sometimes." He snorted at that and then smiled.  
  
"See." Just then Angel and Dawn came trotting up to them.  
  
"Hey Xander!" Dawn said coming up and sitting beside Xander.  
  
"Hey." Xander replied.  
  
"What's up with you?" Angel asked.  
  
"He's sulking and brooding." Buffy said.  
  
"Hey, that's my job!" Angel retorted.  
  
"Not anymore it isn't!" Buffy smacked him on the arm. "I want non-broody Angel!"  
  
"And here he is with your ice cream."  
  
Buffy smiled then her face fell.  
  
"What?" Angel asked concerned.  
  
"You didn't get me a diet coke." Buffy pouted.  
  
"You didn't tell me you wanted one baby."  
  
"So? You should know well enough by now that I never eat ice cream without my diet coke."  
  
"Be right back." Angel said standing and leaving to little giggles coming from Dawn and Xander. "Hey Xander?" Angel called without turning or stopping.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Guys aren't supposed to giggle." Angel said as he turned the corner.  
  
"That Dead Boy. What a sense of humor!"  
  
"Hey!"  
  
"Sorry. Angel."  
  
"Darn straight."  
  
  
  
They had left the ice cream parlor at 9:45 so they could get Dawn home before 10:00. Dawn had to go to school in the morning. They had said their goodbyes to Xander and then piled in Angel's car. The drive home was short, but Buffy had fallen asleep on the way. Angel carried her up stairs effortlessly and deposited her on the bed. He went and tucked Dawn in upon her request and then went back to Buffy. He then removed her clothes and put her in a big shirt of his and a pair of her oversized PJ pants. Then he slipped out of his clothes and left his silk boxers on and climbed into bed. As soon as he lay down, Buffy's arm snaked across his chest of its own accord and she snuggled closer to him. He smiled and drifted off to sleep. Every night since Buffy and he had gotten back together had been like this, but he never got tired of it and he never would. 


	3. Explanations to an Old Friend

Chapter 3  
  
"Bored, bored, bored." Buffy said. She was sitting on the couch, a bowl of pretzels lying between her legs, and watching Passions. Spike had been right; the show really drew you into it. She liked that Ethan guy, he was a honey! And that whole thing with Theresa, now THAT was a story line. But Buffy was getting tired of just sitting there and watching TV soap operas. She wanted to get out and do something! Angel was out busting a nest that Spike had informed him of a few nights ago and Buffy wished that she were there. She missed the action of fighting demons and winning. Buffy hadn't realized how much she had taken slaying for granted until Angel had taken the duty away temporarily. Willow was at class with Tara, Xander was probably working, Dawn was at school, Faith and Spike were helping Angel, and no one really knew where Anya was these days.  
  
"That's it! I can't take this anymore!" Buffy shouted to no one in particular. She stood up as best as she could with the huge bulge of her stomach and went to the door to get her coat. She was going out even if it killed her! She had no clue what she was going to do, but she was going to do something! Angel didn't really want her out of the house much because of the three nerd boys on her tail. But he didn't have much say now, did he?  
  
Buffy headed out and walked downtown. She was headed towards the Espresso Pump for some coffee. Maybe someone from school, college or high school, didn't matter, would be there that she could say hey to. *Hey, people can dream.* she thought to herself as the little open walled coffee shop came into view. As she headed up on to the curb, a familiar figure blocked her way.  
  
"Riley?" Buffy blurted. The tall guy turned around and looked down at her, his blond hair shining in the sunlight.  
  
"Buffy! Hey!" Then his eyes widened as he saw her round stomach. "Whoa!"  
  
"Yeah, you're telling me!"  
  
"When did this happen? Last time I was here, and that's not too long ago, you're stomach was flat!"  
  
"It happened before you came back actually."  
  
"Really? Who's.Who's is it?"  
  
"You wouldn't believe me."  
  
"Try me."  
  
"Angel's."  
  
"Angel's? I thought you two couldn't.you know."  
  
"Well, evidently it can."  
  
"So, you were pregnant before I came to town, but you didn't know it?"  
  
"Yup."  
  
"And you're married too I see." He motioned to her left finger with the shining claddagh ring on it.  
  
"Yup."  
  
"You want to sit down? You look tired."  
  
"I am, and thanks. I was just about to get a coffee."  
  
"Cool. I think I'll join you. You can tell me all about this," he indicated her abdomen, "and then tell me what else happened in the short time I was gone."  
  
"Ok, then you can tell me what you're doing in Sunnydale again agent Finn."  
  
"Sounds like a plan."  
  
They headed over to the counter and ordered their drinks and Buffy's food then went to sit down at a table with high stools. Riley, being the chivalrous gentleman that he was, helped Buffy up into her stool. As soon as they were settled and Buffy was nibbling on her blueberry muffin, Riley started the conversation.  
  
"So Buffy, what's new?"  
  
She smiled and finished the bite she was chewing. "Two things you can see, obviously."  
  
"Yes, I do see that! You have stories; I have two ears to listen with. Start telling."  
  
"Ok, well. After I was brought back and Angel found out that I was, he called and set up an arrangement for us to meet somewhere between LA and Sunnydale. I left, giving not much of an explanation, and headed to the little motel that Angel had suggested."  
  
  
  
Buffy pulled up in the black Jeep and spotted Angel's black convertible. She looked around and spotted him skulking in the shadows not far from the car. She turned the engine off, pocketed the keys, and got out walking up to him. As soon as she reached him, he pulled her into the tightest most loving hug she had ever received from him.  
  
"Buffy, God, Buffy!" he said frantically running his hands up and down her back, checking to see if she was really there in his arms, alive and well. He kissed her neck, shoulders, cheeks, nose, anything that he could find to kiss on her face.  
  
Tears welled in her eyes as he hugged her and a knot got caught in her throat. She couldn't speak. All she wanted was for him to hold her and kiss her like he was right at this moment.  
  
"Buffy, are you really here?"  
  
"Yes, lover, I'm really here." She finally managed to choke out between sobs and fast falling tears. Her legs didn't support her though and she would have fell except for Angel's strong arms that held her up.  
  
"I've got you baby. Don't worry." He picked her up and took her to a room not far from the cars. When he finally managed to get the door closed without hurting her, he took her to the bed and laid her down. She wouldn't let his neck go, so he was forced to climb into the bed with her. There they laid for hours, Buffy letting all her frustrations out through her tears and sobs like she had only done for Angel, and Angel laying there, holding her tightly to him.  
  
After a time, Buffy slowly grew silent and then her breathing became calm and regular. Angel realized that she was asleep. He silently and stealthily climbed out from her embrace around his neck and off the bed, slipping out of the hotel room. When he returned, Buffy was awake and looking frantically around the room.  
  
"Where were you? I thought you had left me again!" Buffy cried, tears starting to form in her eyes.  
  
"Shh, love. I'm right here. I went to get you some food. By the looks of you, it's exactly what you need."  
  
"No, no, no. I need you, not food!"  
  
"Buffy, baby, calm down."  
  
"Promise me you won't do that again!"  
  
"I promise."  
  
After a short spell, Buffy looked up and said timidly, "What'd ya bring me?"  
  
He smiled and walked over to her with the bag from the restaurant. When Buffy opened it and saw the contents, she let out the first genuine smile since she had been brought back. She pulled out a bag full of fries, a box of fried chicken tenders, a diet coke, and four things of honey mustard. Her favorites! Angel really knew how to spoil a girl!  
  
"I.I remembered your favorite and when I saw they had it in the restaurant here, well, you know. I don't know if the honey mustard is exactly like what you like, but I got it anyway, just in case." Angel said, standing away from her.  
  
"Come here." She stated simply.  
  
He obeyed and sat down beside her. She pushed the food over to him and her gratefully took a fry, even though he didn't really need it like she did. She smiled watching him eat the fry and then she continued eating. Every now and then Angel would pick up a fry and feed that to her. She liked this: the very nearness of him.  
  
  
  
"It went on sort of like that for about three days." Buffy told Riley.  
  
"Wow. He really does love you. More than me even." Riley said.  
  
"Yes, he does."  
  
"But what does this story have to do with." he gestured to her stomach.  
  
"I'm getting to it. Anyway, on the third night we took a walk out in the gardens that were behind the motel hiding the pool."  
  
  
  
"Wow, a motel with a garden." Buffy said.  
  
"Yup. It is beautiful for a motel." Angel replied.  
  
They were walking hand in hand through the gardens. The last couple of days had been the best of Buffy's life after death. She had spilled every last detail to Angel about where she had been and how she felt, even now. She was miserable, but she was coping. Her friends didn't know, only Spike. With Angel, though, things were different. She felt like she had never died and been dragged out of heaven. She felt as if she and Angel had never broken apart.  
  
Soon they were headed back to the room. When they reached it, they were kissing fiercely. Angel shut the door and drew the shades while his lips were still locked with Buffy's. He knew that he shouldn't be doing this. Something could happen, but something was off. Why wasn't he stopping all this? He led her towards the bed, clothes being stripped off so fast that he could have sworn that he heard they being ripped off. They broke away long enough for Buffy to take a breath or two of air before they resumed. She sat down on the bed, all the while Angel following her. He straddled her as she sat there and then she fell gently back on the bed. He of course followed her down and kissed her stretched out stomach, leaving a trail from there up to her neck. She was in heaven, only not literally, and so was he.  
  
  
  
"And as they say, the rest is history." Buffy finished.  
  
"Wow." Riley said.  
  
"Yeah, that's exactly what I said when I found out that I was pregnant a month and a half later."  
  
"I thought slayers couldn't get pregnant."  
  
"So did I, but when I went to tell Angel that the baby was his, Wesley found a prophecy about 'the two warriors of the light shall came together and make one.' Trust me, it is a long and complicated thing."  
  
"So when did you two get married?"  
  
"About two weeks after I gave Angel the news and about a week and a half after he proposed."  
  
"That was fast."  
  
"We spent that whole time trying to decide if we wanted to do the big wedding or just go to Vegas and elope."  
  
"What did you decide?"  
  
"Well, I always wanted to go to Vegas."  
  
"Oh! So it was just you two?"  
  
"And a bunch of strangers getting married there too."  
  
"How did he propose? Did he make a big scene like I did with Sam, or was it more private?"  
  
"I was patrolling one night and I could feel this familiar presence. Angel had told me that he was going to stay in LA for a little while before he came to move to Sunnydale. Anyway, it was a really slow night and."  
  
  
  
It was late and Buffy was tired. She was ready to head home and make sure Dawn was asleep in her room. There hadn't been much activity and Buffy was overdue for a little time off. As she headed towards the gates of Sunnydale Cemetery something rustled behind her. Vampire. Buffy tensed and reached for her stake. She turned around and there was Angel.  
  
"Hey." He said as she quickly withdrew the stake and put it back in her pocket.  
  
"Angel! You almost fit into a dust buster."  
  
"Nice to see you too."  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry! Hi. I thought you weren't coming for another week."  
  
"Again nice to see you."  
  
"Nice to see you too."  
  
"I decided to come early. I had some business in town that I needed to get to and I thought tonight would be as good as any."  
  
"Oh, what kind of business?"  
  
"Nothing major."  
  
"As in nothing that concerns Buffy major?"  
  
"Buffy."  
  
"I was just joking. Geez, give the pregnant girl a break here. I've got hormones comin' out the whazoo!"  
  
"How are you?"  
  
"We're fine. I'm about three months now. Too late for an abortion." She saw the hurt look on Angel's face when she had said that and quickly amended. "I didn't mean that Angel. You know I would never. This," she laid her hand protectively over her stomach, "this is ours. We made it together. I would kill everyone on the face of the earth and then count the grains of sand stained with their blood before I would kill OUR baby."  
  
"I know. I feel a little guilty though."  
  
"Why? About what?"  
  
"You have enough to worry about, you don't really need a baby when you have a teenager to watch out for."  
  
"Angel, I don't care about that. I know that you're going to be here to help me along. And so are my friends."  
  
"Have you told them yet?"  
  
"No, not yet. I kind of wanted to wait until we could both tell them together. You know, that way we can also tell them we're getting back together." Angel looked down at his shoes. "Whoa, wait! We are getting back together, right? I mean you and I were planning on that not even a week ago. Was I just hallucinating?"  
  
"No! You weren't, and yes we were. I just. well, this is. um." When he couldn't find the words, he just dropped to one knee and reached into his pocket, pulling out an engagement ring. Buffy's eyes widened as she stared at the huge rock sitting on the dainty golden band.  
  
"Angel." she breathed.  
  
"Buffy, I love you, and that's our child growing inside you. I want to be with you forever, so, will you marry me?"  
  
"Angel, I." she stopped, a huge lump growing in her throat and not allowing her vocal cords to function properly. Tears brimmed in her eyes as she stared at the sparkling brown orbs looking so hopefully up at her, waiting for her to answer. She couldn't speak, or really nod for that matter, so she sprang into his arms and they fell to the ground a kissing, hugging, and crying tangle of limbs.  
  
  
  
"Just like that huh?" Riley asked when he was sure Buffy had finished this more recent tale.  
  
"Yup. About a week and a half later, we packed out stuff and headed to Vegas for three days." Buffy answered, sipping her drink. Her muffin was long gone by now, so if she wasn't sipping out of it, she was chewing on the straw. "So, I've answered all you're questions, time to answer my one: What are you doing back in Sunnydale again?"  
  
"Vacation."  
  
"Vacation?"  
  
"Yeah, Sam and I went to Iowa and then to Colorado and then we decided to come here and see out friends."  
  
"Oh, Sam's here?"  
  
"Yeah, she's visiting Willow at the UC Sunnydale campus."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Where's Angel?"  
  
"Probably on his way home right now to wash vamp dust out of his hair. Hmm." Buffy's eyes started to glaze over as the thought of Angel in the shower tempted her. For effect, Buffy looked at her watch. "Listen Riley, I gotta go. Dawn, will be home later and I have some.stuff.to do. So bye."  
  
"Can I come by and see you?" he called to her retreating form.  
  
"You know where I live!" she called back, hurrying off to make it home before Angel did. 


	4. Faith and Buffy

Chapter 4  
  
"Mmm, that was fun." Angel said as he followed Buffy into their bedroom. They were both wrapped in towels and only a little wet.  
  
"I didn't think that we could do that with this BULGE here!" Buffy laughed.  
  
"I can show you things that you never even dreamed of in your wildest fantasies. I'll show you someday."  
  
"Promise?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
They started kissing again and heading towards the bed when the door downstairs slammed and Dawn's voice traveled up to them, breaking the mood and the kiss.  
  
"Buffy! Angel! I'm home!"  
  
"We're up here. Stay down there, we'll be down in a minute!" Buffy called as she walked to the door and shut it. "I thought she had to stay after and make some stuff up today."  
  
"Don't look at me."  
  
"Oh, I'm looking." Buffy said temptingly.  
  
"Ugh! Dawn needs to go back to school. You're starting to be way too enticing right now for me to resist you."  
  
"We could always try that quickie out. I can be quiet."  
  
"Buffy."  
  
"I know. Dawn's here."  
  
"Actually I was going to say yes, but it's your choice." He started to walk out playfully, but Buffy wrapped her hand around his forearm and turned him around. He met her in a kiss and they went over to the bed.  
  
An hour later, they were dressed and Buffy was brushing her hair. Angel had gone downstairs to talk to Dawn and help her out with her history report that was due soon. This was her life now. She was married and she had a child on the way and one that wasn't really hers, but of her blood, was with her husband downstairs. Buffy had never thought she would see the day that she would call Angel her husband, but it had long past and she was used to it by now.  
  
"Buffy?" Angel called up the stairs.  
  
"Yeah?" she answered from the top of the stairs.  
  
"Faith is here. She wants to talk to you!"  
  
"Ok." Buffy said as she reached the bottom stair.  
  
"She's in the kitchen." He said walking back to the living room after giving her a too quick kiss.  
  
Buffy walked into the kitchen and stood for a couple of seconds just staring at the other slayer. A thousand memories, good and bad, swam through her head every time she saw the once rogue slayer.  
  
"Hey B. Are you ok?" Faith's voice interrupted her reverie and she looked at the brunette sitting in her kitchen.  
  
"Nothing. I was just. remembering. What did you want to talk to me about?"  
  
Faith looked at her for a few moments longer warily then said, "Um, it's about this." Faith gestured to Buffy's stomach.  
  
"This? Why, what's the matter?"  
  
"Nothing! Nothing is wrong with you or Conner. It's just. now that I see how happy you are, I want one of my own and Spike is being stubborn. He refuses to even think about the possibility of me doing the donation thing, much less having kids!"  
  
Buffy just stared at Faith. This was definitely something Faith was serious about. But that wasn't what freaked Buffy; it was the fact that Faith WANTED to be a mom. Maybe she was jealous of Buffy and Angel's happiness together, only Faith knew that. Buffy wasn't about to pry though. In her experience with Faith, it was best not to pry.  
  
Buffy walked over to a stool and sat down by the other slayer. She just sat there, not saying any thing, and looking at her nails. Buffy wasn't exactly sure what she should say to this. Except: "What do you want me to do about it?" Sure it sounded harsh, but it wasn't meant to be.  
  
"Ok, I'm just gonna brush that bleakness sounding tone away and chalk it up to raging hormones when I answer." Faith said, looking only the slightest bit hurt.  
  
"Faith, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it the way it sounded."  
  
"I know, hence the whole 'raging hormones thing'. But the answer to that is: talk to him for me. Buffy, I really want to have kids, like you. When I see how happy you've become, I get." Faith paused and looked down a little embarrassed.  
  
"You get what?"  
  
"Jealous."  
  
"Faith, why would you get jealous of me?"  
  
"Like I said, you're so happy. I mean look at you! You and Angel never fight!"  
  
"Oh, we fight. We've fought plenty of times!" Buffy interrupted.  
  
"That's not the point. The only time you two have ever fought is when he's Angelus or you're arguing about life and death. Namely your guys'."  
  
Buffy was silent. She knew that Faith was right about that, so she allowed her to talk on her own terms.  
  
"Spike and I aren't like that. We argue about the dumbest things! But I love him! I love the neutered freak of nature! And you know as well as I do that he loves me."  
  
"I do."  
  
"Then why do we fight?"  
  
"Because you love each other."  
  
"Well, THAT makes a whole lot of sense."  
  
"Actually, it does. Unconditional love. It's simple really. Yes, you may fight about stupid things. Yes, you may feel like you want to get out now before you get hurt, or you hurt him. But no matter what, you can't bring yourself to do it. There have been plenty of times that I wanted to get out of Angel and I's relationship. Definitely before we found out the curse had no loophole. It all seemed too hard. Not worth the struggle of wanting to be with him in the physical sense and not being able to. But do you know what? It didn't matter how many times I broke it off, or he broke it off. We can't stay away from each other. We're bound by our love and each of us owns a part of the other one. Do you get what I'm saying?"  
  
"Kind of."  
  
"Have you ever heard the saying 'The other half of my soul is missing'?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"That's what I'm getting at. Once you find that other half of your soul, it never leaves you. No matter where you are and where he is, your soul has been completed. That's Angel and I. And that's Spike and you."  
  
"It couldn't be."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"He doesn't have a soul."  
  
"Doesn't matter. He had this thing called soul residue, or something like that. Even if he is dead, a part of his soul is still attached to him. It allows the original soul to find its body. How do you think Angel's soul was restored to him?"  
  
"That's why I love him like I do?"  
  
"In a way, yes."  
  
"Will you still talk to him about it?"  
  
"No."  
  
"No? Why not?"  
  
"Because it's up to you two to decide what YOU TWO want, not me. I would help, but Faith, you're still learning to get back on your feet after all this time. This is just one of life's lessons. It's one my mom taught me, and it's one I'm trying to teach you now. I grew up and took on responsibilities that were far more important than anything I've had to deal with. Now you need to do the same. Life isn't all fun and games Faith. Not anymore."  
  
"You can't at least, you know, drop hints?"  
  
"No. The hint dropping is up to you."  
  
"Please?"  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
"Well, how do I go about it then? I've never had to so this before."  
  
"Neither have I. What? You think I planned on having Conner?"  
  
The two girls laughed. Lord knows that Buffy had definitely not planned on getting pregnant! Besides, Angel and Buffy had both thought that neither of them could have kids. Not to mention the fact that neither of them knew about the whole no-loophole-in-the-curse thing.  
  
"So, maybe I could go and get pregnant behind his back and then say it's his."  
  
"Faith!"  
  
"I'm kidding! I'll talk to him. But let me warn you, the screams coming outta him will be heard all the way in LA." Faith said as they walked to the front door.  
  
"You'll survive."  
  
"I hope so."  
  
"See ya B."  
  
"Bye Faith."  
  
"Later Angel face! Later Dawn!" Faith called into the living room.  
  
"Bye!" came the reply from the living room.  
  
Buffy shut the door and walked into the living room, plopping down on the couch beside Angel.  
  
"What was that all about?" he asked.  
  
"Girl talk. You wouldn't be interested." Buffy said smiling to herself.  
  
"He might not be, but I am." Dawn interjected.  
  
"Grown up talk. Not for little girls' ears." Buffy retorted.  
  
"Hey! I'm not little."  
  
"You're my little sister. Key word being little."  
  
"Was that a pun?"  
  
"Pun? Pun to what?"  
  
"You said 'Key word'. Was that a pun to me being the key?"  
  
"No! Besides, you're not the key anymore. You're just Dawn. You've always been just Dawn."  
  
"Whatever."  
  
Just then Willow walked in with four bags of good smelling food that read Arby's on them.  
  
"I got supper!" the red head announced.  
  
"Yes!" Buffy said, trying to hop off the couch and get to the food in Willow's hands. She wasn't much good at it though and Angel had to help her up. "Well that sucked." Buffy said as they walked to the dining room to sit down and eat. 


	5. Connor

Chapter 5  
  
"Angel!" Buffy screamed. The pain ripped through her and she collapsed to the floor. Tears fell down her cheeks as she lie on the floor screaming her husband's name. "Angel!"  
  
"Buffy!" Angel yelled when he rushed in and saw his wife on the floor. "Buffy, what's wrong?"  
  
"The.baby.it's.time.OWWWWWWW! Angel!" Buffy managed to gasp and scream between waves of pain. She needn't have said any more. Angel scooped her up into his arms and ran her to the car. She trembled and writhed in his grasp. It was hard to keep her from falling. She had more strength when she was in pain and right now she was in a lot.  
  
He finally got her in the car and then himself. He hadn't even shut his door by the time they were speeding down Revello Drive and headed towards the Sunnydale Medical Center. When they arrived, Buffy's water had already broken and she was in even more pain than before. Something wasn't right, there wasn't supposed to be that much pain shooting through her, or at least that's what all those books her and Buffy had read together had said.  
  
"Doctor! She needs a doctor!" Angel bellowed.  
  
Two paramedics came in with a stretcher and took Buffy from Angel. He refused to leave her side, so he was allowed to go as far as the delivery room. As Buffy was carted through the doors, a doctor stopped and turned to Angel.  
  
"Does she have a doctor that's been attending to her all nine months?" he asked.  
  
"Yes. Yes, God, what's his name? Um, Dr. Dr. Lemmon! His name is Dr. Lemmon!" Angel said.  
  
"Ok. I have to go in there with your wife sir. If the doctor will let me, I'll allow you to come in. Right now you need to go and wait over there." He pointed to a row of chairs lined against the wall near a reception desk. Angel walked over to them but didn't sit down. He walked to the nurse behind the desk and asked to use the phone. The first person he called was Willow. She was spending the day with Tara.  
  
"Hello?" Tara's voice came over the line.  
  
"Tara? It's Angel. Is Willow there?"  
  
"Yeah, she's in the bathroom taking a shower right now. Is everything ok?"  
  
"It's Buffy. She's in the hospital. I'm here with her now." He was near tears.  
  
"Angel! We'll be there in a few minutes."  
  
They hung up and he called Xander.  
  
"Hey Dead Boy! What's going on?" Xander said when Angel identified himself.  
  
"Shut up Xander. Buffy's in the hospital."  
  
"I'll be there in a minute." Xander hung up on him and then Angel called the Hyperion.  
  
"Angel Investigations, we help the."  
  
"Lorne?"  
  
"Angel?"  
  
"Yeah, it's me. Is Cordy there?"  
  
"Yeah hold on." Lorne called for Cordy and then got back on the line. "Is everything ok? You sound panicked."  
  
"Buffy, she's in the hospital."  
  
"Oh. Here's Cordy."  
  
"Hey Angel! Nice to hear from the vampire that moves and never calls."  
  
"Cordelia, not now."  
  
"Angel what's the matter?"  
  
"It's Buffy, she's here. She's in the hospital. Can you. can you come to Sunnydale?"  
  
"I'm already on my way."  
  
Cordelia hung up the phone and Angel called Faith.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Spike? Where's Faith?"  
  
"Hello there Nancy Boy!"  
  
"Spike! Where's Faith? I need to talk to Faith?"  
  
"She's at the store. What the hell's the matter with you?"  
  
"Spike, get Faith and get to the hospital. Now."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"It's Buffy." Angel hung up on the other vampire. He was still a little peeved at the fact that Spike had been with his girl. For God's sake, Angel had marked her and Spike hadn't had the decency to keep his hands off of Buffy. He quietly seethed on the inside at the bleached blond vampire until Willow and Tara came running in.  
  
"Angel! Where's Buffy? What's the matter?" Willow asked after she had hugged him.  
  
"She's in there Willow. I don't know if she's ok. They haven't come to tell me what's wrong with my wife and son." Angel started to cry and Willow sat him down and held him to her. He was a total wreck. "Willow, help her. Do a spell and make her and my son all right. Please." He looked at her pleadingly.  
  
"I can't Angel, even if I could. I'm not supposed to do magic for one thing, and for another, I can't mess with medical magicks." Willow responded looking to Tara for some help.  
  
"She's right. If the tiniest thing were to go wrong, we could cause something bad to happen to Buffy and Conner." Tara said as soothingly as she could.  
  
"Hey!" Xander said, running up to the small group of people.  
  
"Xander," Willow said, "be nice. I don't want you to start trouble with Angel."  
  
"I'm not gonna. Angel man, what's wrong?" Xander asked.  
  
Angel lifted his head and looked at Xander. "Buffy went into labor not too long ago and she was in more pain than she should be. I mean that's what all those baby books said. I could barely contain her when I was carrying her. She was thrashing and screaming when I got her here."  
  
"May.maybe it's because she's the slayer. I mean, she's different from everyone else and." Tara was interrupted by the doctor who was walking up.  
  
"Mr. Angel." Dr Lemmon said.  
  
"Just Angel." Angel stated as he stood and wiped the tears away. "Can I go in there?"  
  
"I'm sorry, but you're going to have to wait in the waiting room."  
  
"What's wrong with my wife?"  
  
"The baby's umbilical chord is wrapped around his neck and Buffy can't push him out. We're taking her in to have an emergency c-section."  
  
"Is Conner going to be ok?"  
  
"If we can get to him on time, you're son will make it through just fine. Please, Ms. Lane here will take you to the waiting room down the hall."  
  
Angel allowed the nurse to lead him and the others to a small private waiting room. Willow was at his side and holding his hand as they sat down. Ten minutes later, Faith and Spike ran in.  
  
"What's happened? Is Buffy ok?" Spike asked.  
  
"We don't know yet. The doctor came out and told Angel that the umbilical chord is wrapped around the baby's neck. Buffy has to have an emergency c- section." Willow said. Angel couldn't talk. He was in a state of shock.  
  
Faith walked up to Angel and he looked at her when she kneeled down in front of him. "Buffy is going to pull through this. So is Conner. You are not going to lose either one of them. Buffy is stronger than me. She's pulled through much worse things than this." Faith said. All Angel could do was look back sown at the floor. Faith hugged him and moved over to where Spike was standing against the wall.  
  
Suddenly Angel looked at Willow and said, "Someone needs to get Dawn. She's at school. She had a project that her and her friends had to work on. She needs to be here."  
  
"I'll get her." Xander said. He left without another word.  
  
  
  
They had all been sitting there for two and a half hours. Xander had brought Dawn to the hospital less than fifteen minutes after he had left. He must have driven like a maniac. Angel was pacing and running his fingers through his hair every five seconds and staring at the clock when Cordy, Wesley, Gunn, Fred, and Gru walked in.  
  
"I am so sorry Angel." Cordelia said as she and Angel hugged. "How is she?"  
  
"I don't know! They won't even let me in there to be at her side." Angel said, tears threatening to fall again. Then Wesley, Fred and Gunn came and hugged Angel in turn.  
  
Gru came up and patted Angel on the shoulder. "You're princess is going to be ok. From the stories that Cordelia has told me of Buffy, she is going to make it through this like a true warrior."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"You're welcome." With that, they all sat and watched Angel pace.  
  
After 40 minutes of his pacing, the doctor finally came in. Angel didn't even notice. He was too busy going through all his memories of him and Buffy together over the years.  
  
"Angel." Willow said, stepping in front of him and pointing to the door. "The doctor."  
  
Angel quickly snapped out of it and walked to the doctor with Willow by his side. "Is she.?" Angel started.  
  
"She's going to be fine. Your wife is one of the strongest people I've ever met. You can go see her now, but only one or two at a time. She is still weak and she needs her rest. She's in room 208, just down the hall."  
  
Angel rushed passed the doctor and down the hall. He came to an abrupt halt when he nearly passed 208. Before he walked in, he took a collective breath to calm him down (not that he needed it) and tried to get his hands to stop shaking. Once he had got it reasonably within control, he opened the door and walked in.  
  
Buffy was lying on the bed with her head turned towards the now darkened window. She was pale and small looking against the pink tinted sheets. There was an IV coming from her arm and leading to a bag that hung over her bed. Next to the bed was a heart monitor that had a steady boop boop boop rhythm to it. In front of that there was a chair that Angel walked to and sat in. He took Buffy's hands in his and kissed it. She turned her head to look at him.  
  
"Angel?"  
  
"Yeah baby, it's me." He said, voice cracking with emotions as more tears threatened to spill down his cheeks. "How are you?"  
  
"That hurt."  
  
"I bet it did."  
  
"Angel?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"We have a beautiful son that weighs six pounds and eight ounces. He looks like his daddy with his mommy's hair."  
  
Angel smiled as the tears turned from that of distress into ones of joy. Buffy smiled at him and cried with him. He stroked her face and pushed the hair that had fallen there away. This was the woman he loved and if he had lost her or Conner today, he probably would have had his heart cut out.  
  
Angel got up and signaled Dawn to come in. He knew that they were all piled out there waiting for their turn to see Buffy.  
  
"Hey Buffy!" Dawn said.  
  
"Hey there kiddo." Buffy said, giving the best smile that she could.  
  
"How are you feeling?"  
  
"Like the truck ran me over a few hundred times after the train finished with me."  
  
"Ouch. Can I. can I hug you?"  
  
"Of course you can!"  
  
Dawn smiled and threw her arms around her sister. When Buffy winced, Dawn pulled back too quickly and nearly ran over Angel.  
  
"Oh God, I hurt you! I knew I would hurt you!" Dawn said frantically. "I'm so sorry!"  
  
"It's ok Dawn. You just hit the place where they made the incision to get Conner out, that's all. Now come here and hug me."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Come here."  
  
Dawn walked over and gently hugged her sister, being careful not to touch Buffy's stomach.  
  
"Do you want to see Willow and Tara now?" Angel said from the chair.  
  
"Of course I do. Dawnie, go out and wait in the hall." Buffy said hoarsely.  
  
He stuck his head out the door when Dawn opened it and walked out and beckoned Willow and Tara to come in. Tara hung back a little to allow Willow to see her friend.  
  
"Hey Buff. You look great!" Willow said enthusiastically.  
  
"Haha Wills, very, very funny. I look like hell. Admit it." Buffy said.  
  
"For someone who just had a c-section and you're not unconscious, you look pretty good."  
  
"I'll just be quiet. You have resolve face."  
  
"Yup."  
  
Willow hugged Buffy gently and then allowed Tara to come up.  
  
"Hey Tara." Buffy said.  
  
"Hey. Willow's right, you look great for someone who just went through all that."  
  
"Thank you. I'm glad you are here to back up Willow's white lies." Buffy tried to sit up, but she groaned and winced back down.  
  
"Don't do that Buffy!" Angel said rushing up out of the chair to make sure she was ok.  
  
"Angel, sweetie, I'm fine. I just did that a little too quick."  
  
"Well stop. I want you and Conner home as soon as possible."  
  
Willow and Tara smiled at the couple and walked out, telling Xander he could go in.  
  
"Buffster!" Xander said, obviously trying to get a smile out of her.  
  
"Xander!" It worked, she smiled.  
  
"Geez, you look like hell!"  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"I'm kidding. Not even the sun would look as good as you do right now if I was trapped at night with a cadre of vampires."  
  
Buffy lifted one eyebrow and gazed at him.  
  
"What?"  
  
Same expression.  
  
"Ok, that was a lie. But you gotta admit that it was one heck of a lie."  
  
Buffy's expression melted away and turned to a beaming smile. Xander came over to hug her and whispered in her ear, "You'll never believe it, but Cordy is out there and she is actually concerned about you."  
  
Buffy stifled a laugh as Xander walked out of the room and Faith and Spike entered.  
  
"Yo B, diggin' the hospital wear." Faith said.  
  
"Laugh all you want now missy, but you are the one who wants to have baby." Buffy said.  
  
"That talk we had a month ago? Thanks. I'm slowly wearin' freak of nature boy over here down."  
  
"Hey. I'm standing right bloody here." Spike said.  
  
"Hi Spike." Buffy said.  
  
"Hey there luv, how are you feelin'?"  
  
"Like I told Dawn: I feel like the truck ran me over a couple hundred times right after the train."  
  
"Can I get you anything?"  
  
"No. Unless the doctor will let me have some orange juice."  
  
"I'll go see." Spike left the room in search of a doctor to ask if Buffy could have some OJ.  
  
"Wow, he never does that for me!" Faith said.  
  
"I'm not used to that either!" Buffy said, staring wide eyed at the door.  
  
"How's Conner?"  
  
"He's ok. They took him and put him with a bunch of nurses to observe him for a little while, but I should get to see him soon."  
  
"That's good."  
  
"Yeah. From what the doctors were saying when they were delivering Conner, we're both lucky. A person of my size with complications like that doesn't usually make it through ok. Now why they were discussing that while I was lying there, I have yet to discover." Faith laughed and so did Angel, only Angel's was a little more strained.  
  
"I'm going to go find Spike and tell Queen C and Wes out there that they can come see you."  
  
"Ok."  
  
"Later B."  
  
A few seconds later, Cordy walk in, followed by Wesley with a big bouquet of flowers and a balloon proclaiming "It's a Boy!" on it. When Wesley saw the look of astonishment on Buffy's face, he just shrugged and put them on the table by the window.  
  
"Hey Buffy. How are you?" Cordy asked.  
  
"Wishing people would stop asking me that for one. Sorry Cordy, but it's kind of getting really old." Buffy said.  
  
"Oh."  
  
"I didn't mean that hurtfully, but it is kind of annoying."  
  
"It's ok."  
  
"Hello Buffy." Wesley said.  
  
"A balloon and flowers Wes? Have you stooped that low to our American traditions?"  
  
"Cordelia suggested it. I picked out the flowers."  
  
"I love them. Thank you."  
  
Wesley bent down to hug her as a nurse walked in followed by Spike.  
  
"Here luv, they let you have the OJ you wanted." Spike said.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"Excuse me everyone. Mrs. Summers here needs her rest. And the mother and father need to have a short time with their son. So if you all will be so kind." The nurse shooed them all out. She then allowed Dawn to come in and watch at Buffy's request.  
  
About five minutes later, the nurse came in carrying the tiny baby in her arms.  
  
"Here you are Mrs. Summers, your beautiful baby boy." The nurse said, laying Conner in Buffy's arms then leaving.  
  
"Dawn, I'd like you to meet your nephew Conner Alexander Summers." Buffy said. "Hey there little guy. I'm your mommy and this is your daddy and that girl over there is your aunt Dawn."  
  
"He's beautiful Buffy." Angel said as Conner grabbed onto Angel's finger.  
  
"Hey! He looks like Angel, only with blond hair!" Dawn said as she slowly walked up to her family.  
  
Buffy stroked Conner's hair gently as Angel held onto her and the tiny hand gripping on his finger.  
  
"Dawn, come here. Don't be scared." Buffy lifted the sheets and patted the bed beside her. Dawn came over reluctantly and half sat, half laid beside Buffy.  
  
The door opened and Willow popped her head in.  
  
"The nurse left and I wanted a picture of this. I saw you guys through the window shades." Willow said coming over to the bed with her camera.  
  
"Conner, that's your aunt Willow. She can be insane sometimes, but she will never live up to the insanity that is your uncle Xander, who you're named after." Buffy said softly.  
  
"Say cheese!" Willow said. 


	6. Baby Showers and Nighttime Antics

Chapter 6  
  
"Come on Willow! Hurry up!" Dawn said as she hung another decoration on the wall. "They'll be here any minute!"  
  
"I know this Dawnie. I'm going as fast as I can!" Willow exclaimed.  
  
"Tara, do you have the presents?" Dawn asked as she walked into the dining room.  
  
"Yup! They're all stacked here on the table." Tara answered.  
  
"You know, I can't believe that when Buffy told us she was pregnant seven months ago, we didn't even consider throwing her a baby shower." Willow said walking in from the kitchen with a bowl of punch.  
  
{Di-ng do-ng}  
  
"Uh oh! They're here!" Dawn said frantically.  
  
"Dawn, I don't think that Buffy or Angel would ring the doorbell to their own house." Tara said as she opened the door. "See, it's just Xander, Spike, and Faith."  
  
"Yeah, thanks for that marvelous intro Tara! It's just! Pft!" Spike huffed.  
  
"Shut up Spike! Hey guys! We have presents!" Faith said as Tara led them to the dining room.  
  
"Just stick them on the table with the rest of 'em." Dawn said.  
  
"Are they here yet?" Xander asked.  
  
"No, but they called about 15 minutes ago and said they would be here soon." Tara informed. "It was Dawn's idea to throw them the shower."  
  
"Yup! I even BOUGHT some presents for Buffy and Conner." Dawn said.  
  
"Goody for you!" Spike said.  
  
"Spike! Geez, can't you say anything nice today? He's been in a grouchy mood all day today and I have no clue why." Faith said, whacking Spike in the stomach.  
  
"Bloody hell woman! You do have some strength in you, don't direct it all to me!" Spike said.  
  
"Well, shut up and be nice. You're embarrassing me. I don't want you upsetting Buffy. Angel called yesterday and said she was very touchy feely in the emotions department. If you do anything to make her cry or get upset in any way, I am personally picking you up with a dust buster."  
  
"I know all that. Why would I do anything to upset Buffy? Do you think I want the Big Poof wailing on my ass for upsetting his WIFE?"  
  
"I should certainly hope you wouldn't. Four days in the hospital and you know Buffy has got to have more post-birth depression stuff going for her." Willow said, glaring at the vampire.  
  
"You stay outta this Red."  
  
"You know what? Bite me! Oh wait! You can't!"  
  
"Oh, go kiss a guy! Oh wait, you can't!"  
  
"Oh ouch! Boy, am I reeling from THAT one!"  
  
"Guys! Shut up!" Xander and Dawn yelled.  
  
{Di-ng Do-ng}  
  
Dawn shoved past Spike, Faith, and Willow to open the door. Cordy, Gru, Fred, Gunn, Wesley, and Lorne were all on the doorstep.  
  
"Hey Dawnie!" Cordy said.  
  
"Hey Cordy! Hey guys. Come on in." Dawn said stepping back to allow them to enter. "Presents on the table, Buffy, Angel, and Conner should be home soon."  
  
"Cool. And look, refreshments!" Fred said.  
  
"That's my girl, always headed towards the sweet stuff!" Gunn said following Fred to the punch bowl.  
  
"Should we hide?" Lorne asked.  
  
"Why?" Tara inquired.  
  
"Because they just pulled up."  
  
"Oh, quick everyone get into place!" Dawn said diving in the corner behind the door while everyone else found a place nearby to hide.  
  
The doorknob rattled and then the door swung open.  
  
"Dawn? Willow? We're home." Buffy called, moving Conner to the other shoulder so she could shut the door. She turned to the dining room and saw the presents stacked there. Then she noticed the movements around her followed by the, "SURPRISE!" and the bodies of her friends jumping out from everywhere. Buffy's eyes widened as her hand shot to cover Conner's ear that wasn't against her shoulder.  
  
"Shh! I swear to God, if you people make him cry I'm going to put you all in the hospital at the same time!" Buffy said in a voice barely above a yelling whisper.  
  
"PLEASE don't make him cry!" Angel said. "He is so hard to get quieted down and we just now got him to stop from the car ride."  
  
"And you were sure it was just Buffy with the depression touchy feely stuff, right?" Spike asked Willow.  
  
"What's going on?" Buffy asked as she cooed at her son.  
  
"Baby shower." Dawn said. "I planned it just for you. Angel helped some."  
  
"Angel?"  
  
"Yeah, he got you the best present of all though."  
  
"Dawn asked me if it would be ok and I said yes." Angel said gently to Buffy.  
  
"As long as you people keep quiet and don't wake him, I'm ready for presents." Buffy said.  
  
Dawn led her and Angel over to the head of the table and they sat down. Dawn slid a present over to Angel since Buffy was holding Conner. As quietly as he could, he opened the present. It was a Winnie the Pooh baby comforter and matching PJs.  
  
"Awe, that is so cute Dawn! Thank you." Buffy said.  
  
"You're welcome. Oh, here. Don't forget the card." Dawn answered. She opened it and handed it to Buffy to read.  
  
"Now that you have a new baby, you must learn all the nursery rhymes. Here's a classic: Twinkle, twinkle, little." Dawn helped Buffy open the card. "...Go to sleep!" Buffy read. "Thank you Dawnie. That was. sweet."  
  
"Now mine." Willow said, sliding a big box over towards Buffy. Angel stood up and walked to the present. He opened it and inside was the cutest baby stroller Buffy had ever seen.  
  
"Willow! This is so beautiful! How did you pay for this?" Angel asked.  
  
"Mom and Dad helped. When I told them Buffy was pregnant, they insisted that they help me pay for the cutest present for the baby. They also sent this." Willow said, handing a light yellow card to Angel.  
  
"Congratulations on your new bundle of joy." he opened the card. "You're going to learn a whole new meaning of 'night life.'" Buffy and Angel burst out laughing as quietly as they could. Then as the rest of them got what they were laughing at, they joined in too. They already had a new meaning of "night life."  
  
45 minutes later and 13 presents later, Angel was ready to show Buffy his present.  
  
"Come on." He led Buffy upstairs and then to a door between his and Buffy's bedroom and Dawn's bedroom.  
  
"Well, this is new." Buffy said. Angel opened the door and Buffy gasped. It was a little nursery painted blue and decorated with sports memorabilia.  
  
"Dawn agreed to give up part of her already big room for the baby. I paid some contractors to come and build a wall and a couple of doors in to make this room." Angel said.  
  
"'A couple of doors'?" Buffy asked. "Yeah." He led her over to another door on the left side of the room. When he opened it, it led to Buffy and Angel's bedroom. "I figured we could leave this door open at night so we could get to Conner easily."  
  
"Angel, it's perfect!" Buffy said as she hugged him. Suddenly Conner squirmed and started to cry out in protest at being caught between Buffy and Angel's bodies. "Shh. It's ok. Shh. We're sorry." Buffy cooed. Angel had one arm around Buffy's now smaller waist and the other stroking Conner's shiny blond hair.  
  
They went back out in the hall where their friends were all crowded trying to peep into the new room. Buffy shooed them all downstairs and then followed them down.  
  
"Angel, can you take him?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Of course." Angel took Conner and gently laid him down in his arms. Buffy loved that sight. Angel looked 100 times happier than she had ever seen him when he was holding Conner. There was something about Conner that just made Angel glow with love.  
  
Buffy shook her arms out to allow the feeling to return to them, but never left Angel's side. "He gets kind of heavy after a while."  
  
"Can I hold him?" Dawn asked.  
  
"No." Buffy and Angel answered at the same time.  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because, he's tired and he wants his mommy and daddy." Buffy said.  
  
"Dawn, give it up. Those two will never give that baby up to anyone. Their dreams have finally come true and they ended up making a baby together. Trust me, you are never gonna get to hold that baby for at least another 10, maybe 12 years." Cordy said as she looked at the couple. They were standing face to face and Buffy was caressing Conner's soft hair and kissing his forehead while she had her arm around Angel's back playing with his shirt. Angel was holding Conner in one arm and Buffy in the other. It was definitely a Kodak moment. They were all looking at the three.  
  
"Definitely 12 years." Cordy repeated.  
  
  
  
It was a few hours later and Buffy and Angel were in bed. They were both worn out from the party and tending to Conner. Neither of them had ever been this tired in their entire lives. Buffy looked at the clock on her nightstand. 12:28. She was drifting and she could tell Angel was already fast asleep. She smiled at the little room with its soft night light glow coming from it. Her baby was in there in his big white crib. Correction: her and Angel's baby. She loved the sound of that.  
  
Just as she started to fall asleep, the scream came. She bolted up and fell on the floor flat on her butt. As she was getting up, Angel was bolting up too. She stood and walked into Conner's room. He lay there staring up and crying. Buffy picked him up and rocked him, but he didn't stop crying. So, she checked his diaper. It was dry.  
  
"Buffy?" Angel asked from the doorway.  
  
"I think he's hungry." Buffy said, turning to the shirtless Angel in the doorframe.  
  
"I'll go make him a bottle."  
  
"I'll come with. No need to make us stay up here and let him cry. He'll wake up the whole house."  
  
They headed down the stairs, Buffy rocking Conner in her arms and purring at him to try and quiet him down just a little. Angel flipped on the kitchen light and headed towards the cabinets. He opened it up and pulled out a pot, filling it with water, and then putting it on the stove. Buffy sat down and watched Angel work. He walked to another cabinet and pulled out a baby bottle, the plastic bag-like thing that held the liquid, and a canister of baby formula. He then proceeded to mix the formula and stick it in the bottle, then the bag thing, then he stuck it in the water. After finishing that, he put the formula away and sat down beside Buffy. She had finally got him quiet but he was still letting out grunts and small cries of displeasure that his food wasn't on its way as fast as he'd hoped.  
  
"Hey there little guy. You're good at that screaming thing, aren't you?" Angel cooed.  
  
Buffy looked over at Angel and then lay back on his broad chest. "I'm pooped!"  
  
"Me too. I didn't know that it was going to be this much fun. And you know, I'm a vampire. Aren't I supposed to be the one awake at all hours of the night?"  
  
"It's the gem. You're spending too much time with me. You're body is getting used to the schedule that I'm on."  
  
"I told Doyle that I should have destroyed that thing. But he insisted that we put it away for safe keeping."  
  
"I'm glad he talked you into it."  
  
"Yeah, I am too. You know." He got up and walked to the bottle and tested it. Finding the temperature just right, turned the stove top off and dumped the water in the sink.  
  
"Do I know what?" Buffy asked as Angel brought the bottle over and gave it to Conner. He insisted on trying to feed Conner himself, so Buffy handed him over to Angel.  
  
"Just that, there's only one thing missing to making me fully human."  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"A beating heart. If I didn't know any better, I would say I've shanshued. Or at least come as close to it as I'll ever get. I mean my soul is bound, I have a wife, a son, and both of whom I can go out in the sun with."  
  
"You know what? Maybe that beating heart thing wouldn't be the best in the world. It could make you fully human, then you wouldn't be able to watch out for your family. You wouldn't have the strength."  
  
"You're right."  
  
"I know."  
  
"You wanna take Conner back upstairs?"  
  
"Sure. It's no use trying to put him to sleep down here. If and when we succeed, he's just gonna wake up while we climb the stairs. Better to have him by his bed than anywhere else."  
  
They headed back upstairs and into Conner's room. Angel sat in the rocking chair and handed Conner over to Buffy, who then sat in Angel's lap.  
  
"I'm not singing, just to let you know this." Buffy said.  
  
"Neither am I."  
  
"We need to make shift's out of this."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Well, whenever Conner cries, we'll take turns coming in to check on him."  
  
"Oh. Well, you get the dirty diapers. I don't know how to change them."  
  
"I showed you at the hospital!"  
  
"So?"  
  
"So, you should know how to do it."  
  
"I need supervised practice."  
  
"Maybe. Depends on how tired I am."  
  
"I'll just have to get you up then."  
  
"Like hell you will."  
  
"I will."  
  
Buffy rolled her eyes and looked down at their son. His eyes were drooping and he was fighting the fast coming sleep. Buffy gently stroked his back and purred at him. As he finally fell back to sleep, Buffy stood up gently and carried him to the crib. Angel kissed Conner's head and then Buffy placed him in the crib. They stood there and stared at their miracle baby. That's what Buffy had come to call him: their miracle baby. After all, his parents were supposed to be infertile and then he almost didn't make it through the birth.  
  
"We're going to have to start that baby book that Faith got for us." Buffy said quietly.  
  
"First thing in the morning."  
  
"Mmm, ok." Buffy murmured. She was falling asleep herself while she stood there and watched Conner sleep. Next thing she knew Angel was picking her up and carrying her to the bed. He gently laid her down and covered her with the comforter. She was fast asleep by the time the clock read 1:25.  
  
  
  
Angel was having an extraordinary dream about Buffy, Conner, Dawn, and him. They were all on a picnic in a field full of flowers and butterflies. Buffy was holding Conner and talking to him. Conner was smiling up at her and talking back in his cooing, gurgling baby talk. Dawn was off trying to catch butterflies to bring back to the house. Angel was standing over Buffy and watching her and Conner "talk" to each other. Suddenly he realized that Buffy was staring up at him and saying something. He couldn't understand her, but by the look on her face, it was clear that she was getting agitated that he hadn't been listening. He looked at her in confusion as she opened her mouth and screamed. It wasn't Buffy's voice though; it sounded like a baby's voice. He looked over at Conner to see if he was screaming because his mom was, but he was still staring at his mom and "talking." Then Buffy stopped and smiled a cruel smirk up at him. He looked at her in horror. The face she was making twisted her features and made her look evil and gruesome.  
  
"You don't deserve this." She said. "Not after what you did to me. I'll take this all away from you, just like you took it from me."  
  
"Buffy, what are you talking about?"  
  
She didn't answer though, she just started screaming again.  
  
  
  
Angel bolted upright in bed and stared around the dark room. He looked over at the spot where Buffy was supposed to be. She wasn't there. Angel started to panic. Conner was screaming in the other room and Buffy was missing. He shot out of bed and darted into Conner's room. Before he could get there, a small figure appeared in the doorway holding Conner. Angel stared in horrified silence at the figure holding his son. Then it spoke.  
  
"Angel? Angel, are you ok?"  
  
It was Buffy. He ran to her and tossed his arms around her and his son. Conner squealed at the sudden pressure pinning him there to his mother's chest and he started to struggle.  
  
"Angel, get off! You're hurting Conner!" Buffy cried.  
  
"Are you two ok?" He managed.  
  
"We're fine. The question should be: are YOU ok?"  
  
"Yes and no. What are you doing?"  
  
"Conner was screaming because he had a wet diaper. I came in and changed it, but he didn't stop crying. Now I'm trying to calm him down, but you didn't help that any by squashing us like that!" Buffy replied angrily.  
  
"I'm sorry. Don't be angry."  
  
"Well, just don't do that again!"  
  
"How long has he been crying?"  
  
"About thirty minutes now."  
  
"Thirty minutes?"  
  
"That's what I said."  
  
Angel turned and looked at the clock. It read 3:56. Less than two hours ago, they had been up feeding Conner, now he was crying for no reason. Buffy had already changed his diaper, so that ruled it out.  
  
"Did you feed him?" Angel asked.  
  
"I tried, he didn't want it."  
  
"Let me see him."  
  
Buffy handed Conner over to Angel and he gently rocked Conner.  
  
"Shh, don't cry, daddy's here. Shh."  
  
He kept crying.  
  
"Buffy, bring me a stuffed animal."  
  
Buffy went into her room and came back with Mr. Gordo. Angel took it and started to dance it around in front of Conner. He didn't get anything but more crying out of it. He tried it again and got the same.  
  
"We may have to resort to singing." He stated.  
  
"Oh no. Not me." Buffy said backing away.  
  
"Yes you. I'll help." He grabbed her arm gently but firmly and pulled her towards him.  
  
"Hush little baby don't say a word."they started. Conner only cried more.  
  
"Conner, we've tried everything! What do you want from us?" Buffy asked.  
  
"We haven't tried everything."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"This is the only thing that we haven't tried." Angel looked at Conner and morphed into his vamp face. Conner stopped crying and stared at Angel. Then, Conner's eyes brightened and he gurgled at his daddy. "You like that? Wow. I didn't think that would work."  
  
"Angel! What the hell are you doing?" Buffy cried.  
  
"It shut him up didn't it?"  
  
"Yeah, but he's too young for that!"  
  
"Buffy, look. He likes it."  
  
Buffy stared at Conner then looked back up at Angel's vamp face. Conner was still gurgling in appreciation at his father and was now flailing his arms wildly.  
  
"Yes you do. You like this don't ya?" Angel was cooing.  
  
Buffy laughed and kissed Conner's head. "That was the weirdest thing I have ever seen, but you have baby duty from now on. If you need me for anything else, I'm at your service. You just found the quickest way to make a baby quit screaming."  
  
"And go back to sleep." Angel said. He was right; Conner was fast asleep in Angel's arms. He morphed out of vamp mode and put Conner back in his crib. "What would you have done without me?"  
  
"Not had Conner." Buffy answered very seriously.  
  
"Oh yeah. Well, I'm glad we have each other."  
  
"Are you going to tell me why you were so freaked a few minutes ago?"  
  
"In the morning love."  
  
They got back in bed and fell asleep. Conner only cried four or five more times after that. After the second time, both Buffy and Angel realized that the parenting thing was going to be much harder than they anticipated. Still, they were the only ones allowed to hold Conner. Both were afraid that someone might hurt Conner if they took him out of his mother or father's hands. Especially Angel. That dream had him constantly on the lookout for dangers that could hurt his family. Little did he know that the danger was to come from someone he thought had died almost 100 years ago. 


	7. An Old Friend?

Chapter 7  
  
"Are you sure we should be taking Conner to LA this soon? It's only been a week since we brought him home." Buffy said, cradling her son. "I mean there is that whole smog thing going on down there and it could make Conner sick."  
  
"Buffy, he's OUR son. He's strong for a baby. If the smog never got to us, then it shouldn't get to him."  
  
"He's only a week and a half old! We're not supposed to take him out until after the first month or two."  
  
"Baby, I love you, but you're getting way too overprotective of him."  
  
"Well, he almost didn't make into this world. Technically, he's not even supposed to be here. His dad is an ensouled vampire and his mom is a vampire slayer, who were both supposed to be infertile. He's our miracle baby and if anything was to happen to him."  
  
"Nothing will happen to him. I promise."  
  
"You're not very good at keeping promises."  
  
"Would you come on Buffy? Cordy and the rest of the gang want to see him."  
  
"They can wait a few weeks."  
  
"Buffy."  
  
"Don't Buffy me! It's LA for Christ's sake! Land of the big smoggy pollution."  
  
"Buffy."  
  
"Stop that. You're giving me that look."  
  
"Buuffyy."  
  
"No."  
  
He gave her that tortured puppy dog look.  
  
"No Angel."  
  
More look.  
  
"Stop it."  
  
Look.  
  
"All right! Fine, but if he gets sick or worse, then it's your fault."  
  
"Agreed. Now come on, the car is already loaded and ready to go."  
  
"What about a crib and a changing station?"  
  
"Gunn and Fred went and bought them two nights ago."  
  
"Boy, you people think of everything and don't even tell mommy till the night before!"  
  
Angel laughed. "I love you."  
  
"Not gonna get you off the hook buddy."  
  
Angel made that face again and Buffy melted like ice cream in the summer. She walked up to him and kissed him, making sure that Conner was off to the side. Dawn walked downstairs with her overnight bag in hand and groaned something like "Get a room." She flounced out the door and Buffy heard the car door shut.  
  
"Let's hit the road." Angel said.  
  
They walked out, Angel locking the door, and got in the car. Buffy strapped Conner into the car seat that Xander had gotten for them and then strapped herself in up front.  
  
"Dawn, touch him and you die. He's finally asleep and I want him to stay that way all the way to LA. Got me?" Buffy said.  
  
"Whatever. When do I get to hold him?"  
  
"Never."  
  
Angel started the car and backed out of the driveway.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Maybe someday when you're older, more mature, and have kids of your very own."  
  
"Buffy!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"He'll be too big to hold by then."  
  
"Exactly. You can hold your own kids."  
  
"Whatever Buffy. Overprotective much?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
They reached the on ramp to the freeway and Angel sped up.  
  
"Angel, don't go too fast!" Buffy said looking back at Conner.  
  
"Buffy, we'll be fine."  
  
"That's what they all say."  
  
They drove the speed limit the whole way to LA at Buffy's insistence. The whole time, people drove by and honked because they were obeying the law. After all, they were speeding in the slow traffic lane, which translates to the speed limit slow pokes lane. Buffy had driven on this freeway once. Her dad had let her drive one summer and she had nearly killed everyone in the car. Buffy plus cars equals big trouble, large wrecks.  
  
She started to drift off to sleep, but it wasn't long before Angel was touching her shoulder to wake her up. She felt like she had only been asleep for a few minutes, but when she asked Angel how long it had really been, he said she had been out of it for about an hour.  
  
They arrived at the Hyperion and parked in the back under the small parking garage. Buffy got out and unstrapped Conner. Angel and Dawn were loaded down with small things of luggage and baby stuff. Buffy waited for them to catch up before she entered the Hyperion. Dawn complained that Buffy wasn't carrying anything and Buffy retorted that she was carrying the most valued thing out of the whole car. Angel just smiled and took the baby bag from Dawn. Buffy threw open one of the front doors and walked in. The first person to spot her was Gunn.  
  
"Hey there Buff! Is that little Conner?"  
  
"Yup."  
  
"Guys! Buffy, Conner, Angel, and Dawn are here!" Gunn yelled from behind the counter before he walked over to Buffy. "Hey there little guy! How are you?" Gunn gently took Conner's hand and slapped it against his. "Baby five! All right!"  
  
Buffy laughed as the rest of the group came in from the kitchen. Cordy walked up and hugged Buffy then rubbed Conner's hair.  
  
"How are you?" Cordy asked Buffy.  
  
"Tired! This little guy keeps mommy and daddy on their toes 24/7."  
  
"Hey Gru, when are we gonna make a couple of these?"  
  
"Whenever you like princess." Gru answered. Then to Conner he said, "Hey there warrior!"  
  
"Gru, I think you mean champ." Lorne said coming up to Buffy. "You look like sunshine and roses Blondie!"  
  
"I don't feel it!" Buffy said.  
  
"My, look at the rest of the family! You guys need some help?" Wesley cut in.  
  
"Yes!" Dawn said hastily. Gunn, Gru, and Wesley came up and took a few bags from Angel and Dawn.  
  
"Thank you. Now I can go and see my son." Angel said. He walked to Buffy and she handed Conner over to him. "Hey there. Daddy's gotcha ya now." Angel started to bounce Conner, but quickly stopped when he saw Buffy's face that told him, "If Conner cries or throws up, you're gonna get it."  
  
"So, should we take this stuff up to the room?" Gunn asked.  
  
"Sure. Lead the way." Buffy stated.  
  
Gunn led everyone up the stairs to Angel's room. When he opened the door, Buffy and Angel let out a collective gasp at what they saw there. Angel's bed had been moved to the larger room and the French doors to the bedroom were opened. The little room had been painted blue. The crib in the middle of the room was big and white with a little mobile of animals hung above the crib. In one corner a little changing station was set up, in another, shelves had been built and stuffed animals and sports stuff had been set up.  
  
"Go open it." Gunn said.  
  
Buffy walked over and pulled on one of the shelves. It opened to reveal a little closet with stakes, holy water, garlic, a sword, and a crossbow Buffy had given to Angel a long time ago.  
  
"Wow. This is neat." Buffy said in amazement.  
  
"Why did you guys put this here?" Angel asked stepping up behind Buffy.  
  
"Well, we figured if you two were here and trouble arose, then you could get to a well stocked weapons cabinet easily." Wesley said.  
  
"That was my idea." Gunn put in with a proud grin.  
  
"Thank you guys. All of you." Buffy said.  
  
"We're not through. Dawn follow us." Cordy said. She led them out of the room and to the door on the left of Angel's room. "We took this room and did it up just for Dawn." Cordy opened the door and flipped the light switch. Inside was a room that was all purple. It was Dawn's favorite color. The bed had purple sheets and a brand new journal laying on it. Dawn ran over to the bed and hopped up onto it. She picked up the journal and opened it. She read the inscription out loud.  
  
"'To one of the most brightest Summers women I have ever known. Love Cordy.' Awe, thank you Cordy!" Dawn said running up to her and throwing her arms around the older girl's neck.  
  
"You're totally welcome!" Cordy answered.  
  
"Hey! I can be smart. Maybe not in the school area like Dawn, but in other areas." Buffy protested.  
  
"I know." Cordy said.  
  
"You guys can go now. I wanna sit in my new room and write in my new journal." Dawn said.  
  
"Dawn Summers! What do you say to everyone?" Buffy scolded.  
  
"Oh, thanks you guys this is really cool."  
  
"You're welcome." They answered.  
  
They walked out and went to Buffy and Angel's room again. Angel took Conner to his crib and laid him down. When he came back in the first thing that they discussed was work.  
  
"Any visions Cordy?" Angel asked.  
  
"Yeah, but the guys here have handled it." Cordy answered.  
  
"Ah, Angel. There is a matter that I need to discuss with you and Buffy. It's about the prophecy." Wesley said.  
  
"Go ahead."  
  
"There was more to it that it took me a little while to translate, and there is still more that I'm stuck on, but the basis of it is simply this: your child is going to bring darkness into this world."  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Well, even though the prophecy stated that the parents are the two warriors of the light, there is darkness in both of you. Angel, you're a vampire. That alone is darkness ridden. But Buffy, you died and Willow brought you back. Even if you are still human, you brought darkness with you when you came back."  
  
"I killed that thing!"  
  
"Yes, but that's not the case here. Willow and Tara said it themselves. Those spells never work out completely right. I talked to Willow and Tara and they both said that the spell went off without a hitch. But the spell itself was some of the blackest magicks known to man. A slayer has darkness in her, even though it is scarce, it is still there. When they brought you back, it magnified that darkness."  
  
"So that's why."  
  
"Why what?"  
  
"Nothing. Just. felt like saying that's why."  
  
"Anyways, there is still more to this prophecy that I have yet to translate, but as soon as I do, I'll let you know."  
  
"Thanks Wes. I know you'll get right on it." Angel said slipping his arm around Buffy's waist. He was sitting in the chair and she sat on the arm next to him. "All right, any clients of late?"  
  
"Nope, but Wesley had a suggestion to helping us out with that." Fred said.  
  
"Well?"  
  
"I was thinking, maybe we could advertise. Maybe put out flyers, put our number in the phone book, maybe even make a commercial." Wesley said.  
  
"We tried that one already." Cordy said.  
  
"We never aired it." Angel said.  
  
"I know, but we still made one."  
  
"Anyway, I don't think that TV would be the best thing for us. Granted, we do have an actress in our midst, I don't think we should go that public. The flyers and the phone book thing sounds good though. Besides Wes, you're the boss."  
  
"Right then. We'll get right on that." Wesley said. "Cordelia, you get."  
  
Wesley was cut off by a minor explosion from the other room. Buffy and Angel jumped to their feet and flew through the French doors. The room was in shambles and Conner's crib had toppled over. Buffy heard muffled screams coming from the covers and she ran to the crib, using all her strength, and tossed it against the wall. She went through the covers frantically until she found her son. Conner was screaming and Buffy picked him up and started to rock him. Angel was at Buffy's side in a heartbeat and holding on to Buffy and Conner. Buffy was about to ask what the hell was going on, but another explosion rocketed from downstairs. They ran out of the room and caught up with Dawn in the hallway then ran downstairs. The lobby was ripped apart from the explosion and debris was everywhere. The back door that led to the garden was now a gaping hole in the wall and the figure of a man stood in the doorway that was being rushed by vampires and humans alike. The man looked over at Angel, Buffy, and Conner, then back to Angel.  
  
"Angelus."  
  
Angel got a look of recognition on his face and then it quickly turned to pure horror and astonishment. Then he muttered one word.  
  
"Holtz." 


	8. An Old Friend? cont

Chapter 8  
  
"Holtz? Whose Holtz?" Buffy asked gripping the screaming Conner.  
  
"Don't you remember me Darla?" the man Angel identified as Holtz asked her.  
  
"She's not Darla." Angel said dangerously. "And you stay away from her."  
  
"Angel, what the hell is going on? Whose Holtz?" Buffy persisted.  
  
"Not now Buffy. Just take Conner and Dawn and get out of here as fast as you can." Angel said, keeping his eyes on Holtz.  
  
"Angel, I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what is going on!"  
  
"Just go!" This time he did look at her. His eyes were desperate and fearful. Now Buffy knew there was no way that she was going to leave. She stared at Angel and then called Cordelia over.  
  
"Cordy, take Conner and everyone else and go. I'm not leaving my husband here to fight by himself." Buffy said, her eyes never leaving Angel.  
  
"Buffy." Cordy started.  
  
"Please Cordy. Protect my son." Buffy looked at Cordelia. Cordy saw her eyes and finally took Conner. He screamed even more and Buffy closed her eyes tight as tears started to fall.  
  
"We'll keep him safe." Cordy said. "Come on guys."  
  
"I'm not leaving." Gunn said.  
  
"Yes you are. Buffy, you're going too." Angel said.  
  
"Like hell I am. You think I want to watch you die again. You're surrounded by vamps and by the way you're talking, this Holtz guy is bad. I'm not leaving Angel." Buffy gave him a determined look.  
  
"Cordy, take our son and everyone else and go." Angel finally said.  
  
"Angel, I'm not leaving." Gunn said again.  
  
"And neither am I." Gru came in.  
  
"Gunn." Fred said.  
  
"Fred, go with Cordy and protect Angel and Buffy's son." Gunn said.  
  
They started to leave, but a group of vamps blocked their path.  
  
"Angel!" Cordy cried.  
  
"Holtz!" The man looked over at him, obviously enjoying the spectacle. "Let them go and deal with me."  
  
"They mean a lot to you, don't they?" Holtz asked calmly.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Then why should I let them go? My family meant a lot to me and you didn't let them go."  
  
"Angel?" Buffy asked.  
  
"I know. I'll explain it later." Angel said.  
  
"Fine. Let them go!" Holtz said.  
  
Cordy holding Conner, Fred, Lorne, Dawn, and Wesley left the building in a rush and headed to Buffy's Jeep. They got in, Cordy doing her best to strap Conner in as they shot off into the night to stay at Cordy's apartment.  
  
Back inside the hotel, the vampires circled Buffy, Angel, Gru, and Gunn. Holtz stood on the steps and watched as the vampires attacked. Buffy delivered a blow that broke the first vampire's neck and then ducked as on tried to grab her in a bear hug. She swept his feet out from under him and then staked him with a piece of wood that was lying on the floor amongst the debris. He exploded into dust and Buffy moved on to the one whose neck she had broken, staking him as well.  
  
Angel ducked blow after blow and delivered more than he received to the vampire he was facing. He didn't have a stake on him at the moment, but someone must have because he heard the two familiar explosions of dust behind him. He turned long enough to see Buffy stand up and dust vamp dust off her arm then get tackled by a beast of a vampire.  
  
"Yi!" Buffy screamed as she was thrown to the floor. Her head cracked against the marble and spots swam in her vision. Her ears were ringing, but she could have sworn someone was calling her name. She tried to sit up, but suddenly a great weight came down on her and she was pinned to the floor. Buffy struggled for all she was worth, but the vampire weighed about four times her body weight. He started to lean in for the kill and Buffy instinctively scrunched her neck down to her shoulders. Then the massive vampire was pulled off her and she could breath again. She flipped up and nearly tripped from lack of oxygen. Angel caught her and blocked a pair of vamps that tried to rush her. She gave him a look and a nod that told him she was all right. They turned back to back and fought the next wave of vampires.  
  
Their motions were identical and precise. Angel and Buffy had fought and trained side by side long enough that they could fall in step together effortlessly. Right now they were using a mixture of kata and tai chi that he had taught her three years ago. To Angel, and most likely Buffy, the world fell away and it was just them and the battle. Attacker after attacker came and fell back against the punishing blows that Angel and Buffy dealt them. Angel had no assessment of how many he had dusted with the piece of wood he had picked up off the floor, or how many Buffy, Gru, and Gunn had gotten either. All he knew was that he had to protect his wife, his son, his friends, and himself. In other words, his family.  
  
Buffy was surprised that she remembered all this stuff. She hadn't practiced it in a couple of years. It all came back naturally to her. Suddenly, she snapped out of her trance and saw an opening to the weapons cabinet. Deciding to go for it, she took off at a dead run and slid to a halt in front of it. There was a padlock on it and Buffy didn't have a key. Grabbing hold of the lock she yanked the lock and it broke. She jerked the doors open and checked the weapons quickly. A drawer full of stakes, a couple of broadswords, a mace with wooden, an ancient Chinese crossbow that reloaded itself automatically, a pair of wicked-looking battle axes, and ten daggers lined in a row on the back of the cabinet. *Choices choices* Buffy thought. She grabbed a handful of stakes, the crossbow, and one of the broadswords. As Buffy was slinging the crossbow over her shoulder, she got that tingle sensation up her spine that made the fine hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. Buffy turned and blocked a blow from a female vampire then shoved one of the stakes through her undead heart. She turned and kicked another vamp out of her way and made a path to Angel.  
  
"Angel!" He turned and saw Buffy coming towards him carrying weapons. *That's my girl!* She made it to him in no time and handed him the broadsword, his favorite, as she swung her shoulder to rock the crossbow into her waiting arms. As fast as lightning, she managed to get the first bolt in the holster and set it to get ready for the next five bolts that waited. Then it was as if everything froze. Buffy and Angel stood side-by- side; nine of the remaining vamps surrounding them. Gru and Gunn were towards the main entrance surrounded by about six vamps. The humans, seeing how strong the people that they were supposed to fight actually were, had fled or stuck around in the background to watch. Angel looked at Buffy and so did everyone else. She looked back up and nodded.  
  
The battle picked up and Buffy saw Angel's broadsword flash past her head.  
  
"Hey! Watch it with that thing!" Buffy yelled as she shot a bolt through two of the oncoming vamps.  
  
"Sorry!" Angel yelled back, lopping a head off of a large football player vampire.  
  
Buffy lashed out with her foot and broke the nearest vampire's kneecap. He went down and Buffy was there to deliver the stake through his undead heart. She saw Gunn backed up into a corner and Gru trying to fight his way to him.  
  
"Gunn!" Buffy called. He and the vamps that surrounded him looked over at her. Gunn took the advantage and broke away. Buffy tossed a stake his way and he caught it mid flight, then turning he staked the two vamps behind him in quick succession. Buffy smiled and then flipped in a flying back tuck when her Spider Senses kicked in and told her that there was a foot headed for the small of her back. In mid jump she unrolled her self and latched onto the vampire's neck. Then going with her momentum, she kept flipping backwards, with her legs wrapped tightly around the vamp's neck, until she felt the impact of the floor on the palms of her hands. The vampire flipped over her and she went with that impetus until she was back on her feet and the vamp was on it's back staring at the stake that now protruded from its heart.  
  
"Go Buff!" Gunn yelled across the room.  
  
Angel looked around and realized that there were now only four vamps left. They looked terrified as the group surrounded them. As they tried to run, two going at Buffy, she jumped into a toe touch and hit the vamps on their chins. They flew backwards and Gunn and Angel staked them. The two that remained had fled and the four were left in the lobby. They all turned to the door where Holtz had been standing. He was gone.  
  
"That coward!" Angel seethed.  
  
"Angel, who was that?" Buffy said, coming up and putting her hands on his shoulders.  
  
"A man that should have been dead along time ago."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"His name is John Holtz. Back when I was Angelus in 1764, Darla and I killed his family. Just to torment him, we changed his little girl. We did it because he had hunted us for years. When we found out where his family lived, we went there a day ahead of him and killed his family. He stopped hunting us after that. Darla and I assumed that his daughter had killed him. Maybe she turned him. I don't know. But Darla and I left him for dead."  
  
Buffy, Gunn, and Gru just looked at him. Angel expected her to walk away or not like him anymore, but she did something that shocked him. She took her hands and touched both his cheeks gently and then tenderly pulled his face to hers. She kissed him passionately even though there were two other people in the room. At first he tried to resist, but then he was pulled into it and he kissed back. When she broke off for air, Angel was a little disappointed. The others had turned to give them that moment. He was grateful.  
  
"Angel, that wasn't you. This is you now. I love you and nothing Angelus did will make me love YOU, Angel, any less. Understand?" Buffy asked gazing into his eyes.  
  
"Yes." He answered meeting her gaze.  
  
"Good. Now let's go get our son. I don't want anyone else, except Cordy now, to touch our little miracle."  
  
They walked outside and ran to Gunn's truck. Gunn hoped in the driver's seat, Gru got in the middle, and Angel sat on the passenger side with Buffy in his lap. Gunn sped into the night while Angel called Cordy's cell phone. She picked up on the fifth ring, just when his heart was about to burst.  
  
"Hey Angel! Are you guys all right?" Cordy asked.  
  
"We're fine. Where are you?" Angel asked.  
  
"We're at my apartment. It was the safest place to go."  
  
"Where's Conner?"  
  
"He's sitting right here with me, locked in my room."  
  
"Has anyone else held him?"  
  
"No. Only me."  
  
"Good. I don't want anyone else holding him." Then under his breath so only Buffy and Cordy could hear, "I wouldn't trust anyone else."  
  
"I'll take that as a compliment."  
  
"We'll be there in a few."  
  
Angel hung up the phone and told Gunn to head over to Cordy's. Gunn made a hard right and headed for the apartment. When they got there, Buffy and Angel were the first ones through the door. Buffy, having never been there before, had to follow Angel. Everyone stood up when they burst through.  
  
"Buffy!" Dawn said. Her sister ran up to her and hugged her sister for all she was worth.  
  
"Dawnie! Are you ok? Did any of those vamps try to hurt you?" Buffy asked frantically.  
  
"No. We're all ok. When we left you, I thought we would never see any of you again."  
  
"Dawn, never worry about me. I have my motivations for staying alive."  
  
"What are they?"  
  
"You, Conner, Angel, all my friends. Plus the whole concept of dying for the third time just gives me a wiggens."  
  
Cordy came out of a room and called to Buffy and Angel. Buffy went ahead of Angel and darted into the room. Conner was there, giggling and gurgling in his car seat. When he saw his mother, the smile on his face widened. Buffy smiled back and walked over to him, picking him up.  
  
"Hey there little guy! Yeah, mommy's here." Buffy laughed when Conner just looked and her with that little smile and gurgled. "Look, here comes daddy."  
  
"Hey there Sport! Daddy's sorry about letting you get that scared." Angel cooed. Conner just gurgled and grinned some more. He knew when he was with the two people who loved him most. His mommy and daddy loved him more than they loved themselves.  
  
"Angel?" Cordy asked.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"That was Holtz?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Oh. Isn't he like, supposed to work with humans? Ever since this whole thing started, he's been working with the bad guys. Isn't he supposed to be a good guy?"  
  
"I don't think he is."  
  
"Oh. Then he has to be a vampire. I mean, he's here now. You knew him back in the late 1700s."  
  
"I told you I don't know Cordelia!"  
  
"Angel." Buffy put a hand on his arm to calm him.  
  
"Sorry. This is really frustrating!"  
  
"You were Angelus back then right?" Cordy asked as if Angel hadn't just snapped at her.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"We need more back info now."  
  
"Go into the living room. I'll tell you all in there."  
  
They headed to the living room and took seats on the couch. Buffy holding Angel, Angel right beside her, Cordy sitting with Gru in the middle, and Dawn between Angel and Cordy.  
  
"Ready for a long night?" Angel asked. 


	9. Late Night Prophecies

Chapter 9  
  
"Angel, I love you. I know how much telling that story upset you in there. You had to be a blind fool not to see it." Buffy said, holding Angel's face tenderly with one hand as she stroked his bare chest with the other. They were sitting in Angel's bed back at the Hyperion. He was leaning up against the headboard and she was sitting with her legs slung across his abdomen. He was slowly massaging her legs as she played with his hair. They had moved the crib and changing station into the outer room and shut the doors to the bedroom, blocking out any cold night air with towels covering the cracks in the doors.  
  
"I know." He replied.  
  
"Just remember, you're not Angelus. You will never be Angelus ever again. The man I love is here to stay and there is no one that can take him away from me. Not even you." he smiled and she continued. "You shouldn't blame yourself for what happened to Holtz's family. That was Angelus. And I'm going to pound this into your head until you admit that I'm right and you forgive yourself for it."  
  
"These hands."  
  
"Yes, those hands, but those hands were taken over by a demon's hands. Those are YOUR hands now. They've always been your hands. And trust me when I say 'I know this is a fact!'"  
  
Angel smiled again and this time looked at Buffy. She looked alluring in his shirt that practically swallowed her whole. She had insisted that she wear it because she had forgotten her top at home. He knew she hadn't and he knew that she knew that he knew. She had always liked his silk shirts and he didn't mind letting her wear them. Suddenly her legs were gone from his stomach and arms. He looked down to see her nestle herself down onto his chest as she laid down on top of him. He then started to stroke her back.  
  
"You know, Conner is offly quiet tonight." Buffy sighed.  
  
"He had a little more action tonight than he could handle. He's just tuckered out."  
  
"And just think, his whole life is gonna be like that."  
  
"We'll try to make it a little better."  
  
"Oh of course!"  
  
They laughed softly so as not to wake Conner. Buffy crawled up Angel's body just a little so she could get a little more comfortable. Not that she wasn't now, it seemed that her and Angel's bodies were made to fit and compliment each other. Angel held onto her back and she turned in his grip so she could lay on her back, but still be on top of him.  
  
"Do you think that our life is going to be like this forever?" Buffy asked.  
  
"As long as forever doesn't mean that you're a vampire, yes."  
  
"I don't wanna be a vampire! I was one once."  
  
"When?"  
  
"Back when I had first moved here, this little boy was in a coma and he was so scared of his little league coach, who put him in the coma by the way, that his nightmares were affecting the Hellmouth. The Hellmouth then began making everyone else's nightmares come true. Giles and I had the same kind of nightmare where he failed me and I became a vampire. Well, the Master rose, that was another one of my nightmares, and he buried me alive. I came back as a vampire. It was only temporary, but I hated it!"  
  
"I can imagine. And where was I when all that happened?"  
  
"I don't know. I hadn't heard much from you then."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Angel?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Holtz was stupid today."  
  
"Why do you say that?"  
  
"He called me Darla. The only thing that looks like Darla would be my hair."  
  
"I know. That just goes to show he didn't do his homework."  
  
"Yeah. Big stupid evil guy." She kissed his chest.  
  
"Mmm."  
  
"Will he come after us? I mean, will he come after our family?"  
  
"I don't know Buffy. If he does, we'll be ready. No one is going to get to my family before they get through me."  
  
"And me. We're the two warriors of the light. We're supposed to fight together, side by side."  
  
"Whatever you say love." And he meant it.  
  
"Good." Buffy stifled a yawn. "We should have stayed with Cordy at her apartment."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Those vamps and Holtz could come back while we're sleeping."  
  
"The vamps couldn't get in here. It's my home. They could before though."  
  
"Before what?"  
  
"Before we got married. Now wherever I made a home, it's your home too. So that invisible barrier is up and running."  
  
"But what about Holtz?"  
  
"I don't think he would try that again for quite some time. He's too smart for that."  
  
"I hope you're right Angel. I want to be able to sleep tonight."  
  
"You and Conner sleep. I'll stay up and watch."  
  
"Are you sure? Cause I could help you stay up." Buffy said alluringly.  
  
"That offer is tempting, but I'm going to decline on your behalf. You need some rest. This is the first time Conner hasn't kept us up all night and we all had a big day today. And you're tired. I can see it in your eyes."  
  
Buffy yawned. "All right. I'll sleep. Just as long as you promise to stay here with me."  
  
"I promise."  
  
Buffy rolled off onto the bed, but didn't leave Angel's arms. Not ten minutes later she was soundly asleep for the first time in a long while. Angel stared down at her, his love, his light, as she slept peacefully. In all his 249 years, he had finally found happiness in, of all people, the slayer's arms. Now that happiness didn't come with a price. He wasn't about to let Holtz destroy that. Angel knew what Holtz wanted. He wanted Angel's heart with a stake through it. Angel looked down at his free hand. Suddenly, it occurred to him that Holtz could shove all the stakes he wanted through Angel's heart, but it wouldn't do him any good. Angel was truly immortal now. He wore the Gem of Amara. Abruptly, Angel knew that now nothing could stand in his way from keeping his family safe. He silently thanked Doyle for convincing him to put it away somewhere safe. Buffy shifted her position in his arms.  
  
  
  
In her dream, Buffy was running. She didn't know what from exactly, but she knew it was bad. She could hear this horrible laugh coming from behind her. She came to a fork in the road, or whatever it was that she was running on. When she looked left, she saw Wesley get his throat slit by some red headed woman. On the right, she saw Hell. Literally, this was Hell. Only it was like a portal. Everywhere around the fiery edges of the portal like thing, it was a clear night sky, but inside the thing, a vast hellish dimension stared back at her. She heard screaming, but it wasn't coming from Hell, it was coming from behind her. The trouble was, it sounded like her. There was some yelling too. Buffy couldn't make out the words, but it wasn't good. In her world yelling was never good. When Buffy turned, Holtz nearly ran into her. He was holding a little bundle and Angel and her were giving chase. Then, Holtz jumped into the portal and a huge flash of lightning knocked Buffy and Angel back. Buffy, the Buffy standing and watching this whole scene, felt the shock of the jolt. It was painful. She looked down and realized that she could see her hands. Just as she was about to scream from the shock of it all, she was jolting awake and nearly flying out of the bed. Angel had caught her.  
  
She turned and looked at him. She was crying and a cold sweat had broken out on her forehead. Angel held tightly to her as she trembled all over. She knew what that little bundle in Holtz's arms had been. It had been her son. Buffy jerked away from Angel and darted away to Conner's crib. She looked in, expecting to find no one there, but she was wrong. Conner lay there peacefully. Buffy sighed and stroked his head as she leaned over to kiss his hair. When she came back up, a hand touched her shoulder. Instinctively, she turned and punched the person in his stomach with all her force. Then she saw Angel go flying back and into the wall. He sunk to the floor and shook his head. Buffy ran to him and helped him up.  
  
"Angel, I am so sorry!" Buffy said quietly.  
  
"It's ok, I scared you when you were by Conner. I should have known that could be a fatal thing to do." Angel smiled tightly as he rubbed his abdomen. "I'd forgotten how big of a punch you pack. I think it got stronger." He said.  
  
"No, it really was my fault. I shouldn't have hit you like that."  
  
"Buffy, really, I'm fine."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Positive. Are YOU ok?"  
  
"I'm fine, why?"  
  
"I meant from that dream you had. It really had you spooked."  
  
"Oh that."  
  
"Yes, that. Come here and sit down. I'll get you a glass of water."  
  
Buffy did as she was told. Angel went to the little nook that passed as his kitchen and got her a glass full of water. He brought it back and she gratefully drank it.  
  
"Now, what was all that about?"  
  
"A lot. Enough that I think we should really get Spike and Faith up here."  
  
"It was a prophetic dream?"  
  
"I saw my hands. In all my dreams that I could see my hands, they've come true."  
  
Angel waited, knowing that she would get to the dream at her own pace.  
  
"Holtz.he was there. But that was later in the dream. First I was running. I don't know from what or who. Then I came to a fork in the road, or at least I think it was a road. On the left I saw Wesley getting his throat slit by some red headed chick. On the right, there was a portal like thingy to a hell dimension. There was screaming and yelling behind me and it was coming from us. I turned around and Holtz nearly barreled into me. He had Conner in his arms. I didn't realize it at first. We were chasing him. I was watching all this; I wasn't a part of it. Then Holtz jumped into the portal with Conner and we were knocked backwards by a giant bolt of lightning."  
  
"Are you sure it was Conner?"  
  
"Positive."  
  
"I think you're right."  
  
"About Conner?"  
  
"No, I think you're right about getting Faith and Spike up here."  
  
"Maybe we could go back to Sunnydale."  
  
"No! That would put more people in danger. It's bad enough that it's you and Conner. Now it's Cordy, Wesley, Gru, Lorne, Gunn, and Fred. He knows this place now. Let's not let him get to know Sunnydale and the people we love there."  
  
"Ok."  
  
"I'll call Faith and Spike. You go check on Dawn."  
  
Buffy got up and walked out the door. As soon as she shut it, Angel was on the phone calling Faith. After the seventh ring, Faith's groggy voice came over the line.  
  
"If this isn't important, I know someone who's gonna have a stake through the heart."  
  
"Faith, it's Angel."  
  
"Hi. Oh! Is everything ok? Is B all right?"  
  
"She's fine. A little shook up right now."  
  
"Why?" He could tell Faith was fully awake now.  
  
"She had a dream. I'll explain it all later, but this guy Holtz took Conner into a hell dimension and Wesley got his throat slit by a red headed woman."  
  
"Angel.you do realize that it was a dream, right?"  
  
"Slayers have prophetic dreams. Buffy knows when one will happen because she can see her hands. Faith, she saw her hands in this one. I'm calling because I think we're gonna need you and Spike here right away."  
  
"When?"  
  
"A.S.A.P."  
  
"What time is it?" she wasn't asking him, she was asking Spike. She heard Spike say it was 3:15 in the morning. "Ok, we'll be there within the next few hours."  
  
"See ya then." He gave Faith the address and directions to the Hyperion. As he hung up the phone, he could hear Faith say something to Spike that sounded like, "Get your bitch ass up, Buffy and Angel need our help!"  
  
Buffy walked back in with a sleepy Dawn in tow.  
  
"I thought maybe she could sleep in here with us. For safety reasons." Buffy said.  
  
"Ok sure." Angel replied. He got up and took the covers Dawn was holding and he laid them on the floor, making a sleeping bag like arrangement out of the covers. Dawn laid down in them and instantly fell back asleep. Buffy sat in the chair next to Conner's crib and curled her legs up.  
  
Quietly she asked, "Are Faith and Spike coming?"  
  
"Yeah. They'll be here in the next couple of hours."  
  
"Good."  
  
"Can you sleep?"  
  
"No. I was just gonna sit here and read."  
  
"Ok. You want me to make you anything from the kitchen? I was going to head down there. I'm a little.hungry."  
  
"Sure. Can you make me a peanut butter and jelly sandwich?"  
  
"Crunchy?"  
  
"Yes please."  
  
"Strawberry jelly all right with you? It's the only kind they'll eat around here."  
  
"Sounds fine." Buffy picked up a book that was laying on the table near the chair. "Demonic Forms of the Wicked" was the title.  
  
"That's all in Farsillatai." Angel said.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"It's a demon language that I learned."  
  
"Oh." Buffy put the book back on the table and picked up another. "Memnoch the Devil?"  
  
"I like Anne Rice." Angel shrugged and walked out the door. Buffy opened the book and started reading. The first thing she recognized was the name Lestat.  
  
"Oh, I like Tom Cruise." Buffy said to herself.  
  
Faith and Spike arrived a little before dawn. Angel gave them a room just down the hall from his. As soon as 7:00 arrived, everyone was downstairs. The ones that didn't live in the hotel appeared. Angel Investigations opened and was ready for business. The day went by without so much as a peep from Holtz. 


	10. Happy Times

Chapter 10  
  
"So, Angel's just as wigged as you are about this dream, huh?" Faith asked. Buffy had asked Faith to go on patrol with her. It had been a while since she had gone on a patrol. To be more precise it had been seven and a half months, two weeks, three days, and sixteen hours. Angel had forbidden her patrols after three and a half months into her pregnancy. He said that one kick in the stomach could kill the baby. At first Buffy hadn't argued, but after a while, things got boring and she had argued with Angel to let her go on a couple of patrols with him. Each time Buffy had asked, she had been declined firmly and sent to the living room to watch more TV. Ever since then, Buffy had lightened up a little on Dawn. She knew now how Dawn must feel.  
  
"Yeah. I mean we have every right to be. In some form or another, my prophecy dreams have come true. Now that it has to do with Conner, we're extra super wigged." Buffy replied.  
  
"Wow. I mean, you have every right to be. It's your son B. If I had one, I would protect it with my life."  
  
"We are. Angel's got him now. Conner had a doctor's appointment this afternoon and Conner wasn't too happy about all those strangers poking him with needles."  
  
"Needles?"  
  
"Yeah. Conner had to have some blood work done to make sure he wasn't hurt or sick from that explosion a few days ago."  
  
"Have you heard anything from Holtz?"  
  
"Not too much. He popped up a few weeks ago while I was still pregnant and out of it. We were at Caritas and Angel and I were in Lorne's room. I don't remember any of it, but apparently Holtz came in whistling some lullaby and Lorne read him. Then Lorne and the others came in the room and told us to get down. Then there was an explosion and the wall to the club had been obliterated. The place was on fire and we had no way out, but Lorne said that the place had once had a place where trucks unloaded everything but he had boarded it up. Cordy and Fred took hold of me and Angel, Gunn, and Wesley tore the wall down as best they could. We got outside and it was raining, we're soaked then Holtz and some demony guy comes out of nowhere and Holtz is pointing a crossbow straight at Angel, who's now holding me again. Then Holtz gets this look across his face as Angel stare at him and then he lets us go. We heard from him again a couple days ago when he blew up the hotel."  
  
"Did you ever find out about that demon?"  
  
"No. Wesley is on that and Willow is net girl in Sunnydale looking for him."  
  
"I'm glad you called me up here." Faith said suddenly. "After all I did to you, you had the heart to forgive me. You didn't have to, but you did."  
  
"Faith, to be perfectly honest with you, I haven't forgiven you completely. I probably never will. I'm not saying this to be mean, but I was taught to always tell the truth to my friends."  
  
"I understand. And actually, I accept it."  
  
"You do?"  
  
"Yeah. You said that you were taught to tell the truth to your friends and you were telling me the truth."  
  
"I've always considered you a friend. Even when you were psycho murder bitch, you were still my friend. I don't give up on the people I care about."  
  
"Thanks, for caring I mean. I'm usually never open like this, but with what's been going on lately, I think I should at least try to be."  
  
"It's good to be open."  
  
They laughed and went a little ways further. Buffy stopped abruptly, but Faith hadn't noticed until she started to talk and got no reply. Faith had passed a school building, but Buffy hadn't. Faith walked back to Buffy.  
  
"Hey B, you ok?"  
  
"Yeah, it's just. this is Hemery High School."  
  
"Whoa."  
  
"Yeah. I haven't been here for about six years. It's. different."  
  
"Yeah, I mean, they do have that new gym and everything."  
  
"I know, but. it just seems different. It's not the new gym either. There's something, sinister about it."  
  
"Oh, I know! It's a high school. You know, home of the teen angst and heartaches."  
  
"Maybe."  
  
They started walking again and Buffy kept glancing back to look at the building. Finally they gave up hope of ever finding a bad guy and decided to go back to the Hyperion. It was 2:30 by the time they got back and everyone was long gone. Except for the people who lived here.and Wesley.  
  
"Hey. What's Wes doing here? I thought he was leaving about an hour after we left." Buffy said.  
  
"Beats me. I'm going to bed. See ya in the morning B." Faith said, heading upstairs.  
  
Buffy walked to the office door that was open a crack and knocked. She heard papers rustle and fall frantically. Buffy guessed she had startled him. He opened the door and looked out at her.  
  
"Buffy." He looked rumply and disheveled.  
  
"Hey. What are you still doing here? Go home." Buffy said.  
  
"Yes, yes. I was just finishing up here. What do you want?"  
  
"To come see what you were doing. I mean you did say that you were going to leave an hour after Faith and I left, or was that all a hallucination?"  
  
"Hallucination, yes. I mean, no. I did say that I was going to, but.. something.. came up."  
  
"Oh. Can I help? I haven't been able to sleep much since that dream I had."  
  
"It's understandable."  
  
Angel walked in holding Conner and Buffy walked to Angel and took her son.  
  
"Hey there. You're up way past your bedtime. Did daddy let you stay up to watch Conan again?" Buffy asked Conner as he gurgled and giggled.  
  
"I did not. He couldn't sleep cause his mommy wasn't here."  
  
"Are those new PJs?"  
  
"Yeah. Cordy bought them this afternoon. She went on a case that took her near Rodeo Drive and she said she saw it in a window and couldn't resist. He's so cute I could just eat him all up." Angel noticed Wesley standing in the office doorway. "Hey Wes, what are you still doing here?"  
  
Wesley looked stricken. He just stared at Angel in a half dazed half horrified look.  
  
"Wesley, you ok?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Hmm, oh yes, fine. Just looking at the wonderful little family standing before me." Wesley replied.  
  
"Hey. Go home. You look like you could use the rest." Angel said. "Wait! Before you go, you have to see this." Angel took Conner from Buffy and held him up so Angel's face was right there by Conner's neck. Then Angel turned Conner around and made his arms punch at Angel's face. Angel dodged the tiny blows and then turned Conner back to face Wesley. "Wasn't that cute? He punches like a real man should."  
  
"Yes. That was adorable. I'm going to go collect my stuff and go now." Wesley said as he walked back into the office and gathered up some papers to put in his briefcase. He came back out, said goodbye to Angel, Buffy, and Conner, then left. All he could think about was the passage that he had translated earlier. It had read in every language that he could try to turn the scroll into: The father will kill the son.  
  
  
  
"He was definitely acting weird." Buffy said as they headed upstairs to their room.  
  
"Yeah. I've never seen him act like that!"  
  
"You sure?"  
  
"Positive."  
  
"Hmm, maybe he's coming down with something." Buffy cooed at Conner. He giggled and smiled at his mommy. "Yeah, maybe he's coming down with the Conner's-too-cute-for-words flu."  
  
"Yeah, that's definitely it." Angel joked.  
  
"Hey. I was humoring my son."  
  
"Did you get anything tonight?"  
  
"Nope. Everything was quiet."  
  
"It was that way the last few nights is what Gunn said."  
  
"That's really strange for LA."  
  
"Yeah it is."  
  
"What time did Dawn go to bed?"  
  
"About 11:00. She was tired. I don't see why though, it's summer vacation. Shouldn't she be up all hours of the night reeking havoc?"  
  
"Not my little sister!"  
  
"I know. I'm just kidding."  
  
Buffy laid Conner down in his crib and then changed out of her patrolling clothes into some big PJ pants and a spaghetti strapped tank top. Angel opted for his usual, gray sweat pants. Buffy loved that look on him though. No shirt, just pants. Buffy checked on Dawn before she went to bed. When she came back in, Angel was in bed, but not asleep, and Conner was sleeping soundly.  
  
Buffy slipped under the covers and into Angel's arms. "He's so quiet."  
  
"I know. He gets that from us. He's not like other babies."  
  
"I know. It kinda makes me want that whole colic thing with Conner. At least he would cry like a normal kid."  
  
"Well, he's not exactly normal."  
  
"I know."  
  
"Parents would find Conner a blessing and a half. Did you hear that lady at the doctor's office this afternoon? She wanted to trade Conner for her son."  
  
"I heard."  
  
Angel rolled onto his side and looked at Buffy. She smiled up at him and Angel saw Conner's smile there. Buffy reached up and kissed Angel. He kissed back eagerly and slipped his hands under her shirt. He got rid of that, then the pants followed, followed by the underwear, and finally his pants. They lay there in bed, under the warm covers, kissing and naked. Angel rolled on top of Buffy and trailed kisses everywhere he could reach. Buffy arched to meet his lips. For hours they made love. They hadn't done it in a while and it was exactly what both of them needed to release some tension. They stayed as quiet as possible so not to wake Conner. Finally, they lay, bodies entwined, and dozing off to sleep content and satisfied.  
  
  
  
The next morning, Buffy woke to the smells of food. Angel was in bed with her, but unfortunately he was dressed.  
  
"Morning Sleeping Beauty."  
  
"Morning." Buffy stretched and yawned, Angel holding the covers so they wouldn't reveal too much. Then she sat up and held the covers to her chest. Angel handed her one of his sweaters and she put it on. "That was fun."  
  
"Yes, it certainly was."  
  
"Can we do it again?"  
  
"Later. Now, you get to eat and then we're going to go with Cordelia and Gru to the park."  
  
"Is Conner coming?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
"So, what did you make me?"  
  
Angel lifted the lid off a silver platter and revealed a plate full of yummy things to eat. "I mage eggs, went out to a bakery and got you a croissant, some orange juice, and fresh strawberries."  
  
"You are gonna spoil me!"  
  
"Too late." Angel kissed her and then picked up a strawberry and fed it to her. She smiled and he licked the juice that trickled down her chin.  
  
"Angel?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Where's Conner?"  
  
"He's in his crib."  
  
"Bring him here please."  
  
Angel got up and went to get Conner. He gently lifted Conner up and carefully brought him to Buffy. She scooted the tray away enough that Angel could sit in the bed with her. He accepted the invitation and sat down, handing Conner to Buffy. Conner laughed and cooed at his mommy. She made a couple of funny faces at him and he giggled even more. Buffy situated Conner so that he sat in her lap and laid back on her stomach.  
  
"Aren't you glad mommy got her tummy back?" she asked Conner, not expecting an answer. Buffy bounced him slightly and he squealed with delight. Angel laughed and leaned over to kiss his son.  
  
"Daddy is." Angel said.  
  
"I bet."  
  
"Come on, get dressed. I'll take Conner and put him in that little blue outfit you like so much."  
  
"Do I have to? I haven't finished breakfast."  
  
"Finish it and then we'll go."  
  
Buffy drank the orange juice and ate some of the eggs and the croissant. Then she hopped out of bed, put on a pair of blue jeans and a baby blue peasant top. As she slipped into her boots, Angel came out of the bathroom holding Conner in his little blue outfit. Angel was dressed similar to Buffy in a blue silk shirt and black jeans.  
  
"Wow, we look like the Brady Bunch from Sunnydale!" Buffy said. She took Conner from Angel and they walked downstairs.  
  
Dawn was waiting for them with Cordelia and Gru. Dawn had on khaki capris and a black shirt. She looked cute in her new half sneakers Buffy had bought her a while back.  
  
"Ready?" she asked.  
  
"As we'll ever be." Buffy answered.  
  
Buffy strapped Conner in his stroller that Willow had gotten him and they were off to the park. Little did they know it would be the last happy moment in a long while. 


	11. Loyalty

A/N: For all you die hard Angel fans like me out there, there are some scenes that you might recognize in this chapter. I am trying to keep with the plot line of the Angel and Conner thing. I am adding in Buffy and switching the time for this story because, as the title says, this is my own version of the Buffy- Angel-verse.  
  
Chapter 11  
  
Angel paced his room. Conner was sitting in his little chair thing that Buffy had bought. Speaking of Buffy, Angel was getting nervous. Buffy had left yesterday to check on things in Sunnydale. He hadn't wanted her to go, but she had insisted. After about two hours of debating on whether she should go or not, Angel had given in and told her that he wanted her back in the next two days. She had promised to be back the next day, but if something came up, she would call.  
  
Before that though, Cordelia and Gru had also gone on vacation. He had told them to go. Cordy had been working hard the past few months and she hadn't had time alone much with Gru since he had come to LA. She was part demon now; she had been for a while. He loved Cordy and he wanted to see her as happy with Gru as he was with Buffy.  
  
Things had also heated up a little with Holtz. He had some girl named Justine working for them. Willow had done a search and found out that Justine had lost her twin sister to vampires. Angel figured that she had chosen to be with Holtz because she couldn't deal with pain on her own. "Sucks for her." Is what Buffy had said about it. "She joined the wrong team." Angel laughed at that memory.  
  
Angel grabbed up the pig's blood and sucked that back like it was a good shot of tequila. He had been insatiably hungry the last few days. Angel had spent more money on pig's blood in the last day than he had in a four- month time span. Maybe it was just nerves. He had every right to be nervous though. Holtz on the loose, Buffy in Sunnydale, poopy diapers that always needed changing, bottles to be made, and spit-up to be cleaned. He chugged some more and then sat the container back on the table.  
  
For the millionth time that day, he checked his answering machine. Still nothing, so he assumed she would be on her way. Maybe she had left her cell phone on.  
  
"Yeah, let's call mommy." Angel said to Conner. He went to the phone and dialed the familiar number. The voice mail picked up on the second ring. She had it turned off. Damn! He wished she would at least call and talk to him. He was worried.  
  
There was a knock at the door and Angel called for whomever it was to come in. It was Wesley.  
  
"Hello there Angel."  
  
"Hey Wes."  
  
"How are you and Conner getting along?"  
  
"Fine. How are you getting along? You've been acting weird the past week or so."  
  
"Nerves."  
  
Angel got in the refrigerator and got another thing of pig's blood out. "Yeah, my nerves are on edge too."  
  
The door opened and Buffy stepped in. "Hey everyone! The slayer's back in town and there's a little boy named Conner that mommy needs to see!" She walked over to Angel and he handed Conner over.  
  
"Why didn't you call?" Angel scolded.  
  
"What? It was busy in Sunnydale. I kept my promise thought, didn't I?"  
  
Angel kissed her as if she had been gone two centuries instead of two days. She shifted Conner and leaned up into him.  
  
Wesley turned giving them the moment. He had come up here to tell Angel everything about the prophecy. How it said the father was going to kill the son. About the signs that would come before the prophecy came to pass: earthquake, fire, and blood. The couple looked too happy now for him to break their hearts like that now. In truth, he didn't know if he could ever have done it. When Wesley turned back around, Buffy no longer held Conner. He was back in his crib in the bedroom that Angel had had fixed. Angel took a giant swig of blood and Buffy stared at him. When Angel felt her gaze, he brought the container down and looked back at her expectantly.  
  
"What?" he asked.  
  
"Nothing! It's just, you've been drinking like that for days now! It's kinda creepy." Buffy said.  
  
"It's just my nerves. You know, Holtz and all that."  
  
"Oh." Buffy reached up on tiptoe and kissed his cheek. "I missed you."  
  
"I missed you too."  
  
"So Wes, how do you feel?" Buffy asked.  
  
"I've had better days." Wesley said.  
  
"I know the feeling."  
  
"I figured it out." Angel cut in, sitting down at the table, Buffy following right after.  
  
"What?" Wesley asked confused.  
  
"How I really knew about Justine. - All that pain, that rage... the only way she could deal was to join Holtz, take her revenge. - You know how I knew that?"  
  
Wesley walked over to them. "Because you would have done the same."  
  
"It scares me. You know? If anything like that ever happened to Connor or Buffy, I don't know what I'd... I love my son and my wife very much. Some might say too much."  
  
"Love can be a terrible thing."  
  
"I used to think that. I thought love was something that swallowed you whole, ripped you up inside, but, you know, what I feel for Connor and Buffy, even that fear... Wes, it's, it's not terrible. It's beautiful."  
  
Wesley started to laugh. It was just a short burst of quiet laughter, but Angel picked up on it.  
  
"What's so funny?" Angel got up to situate some stuff on the counter.  
  
"Life. Life is funny. Listening to stupid people talking to hamburgers is funny. Worrying about things that will never... It's all so incredibly funny and, and beautiful."  
  
Angel started to reply to that as he turned on the stove to start a bottle for Conner, but a hard earthquake hit. Pots and pans start falling out of the cabinets as Angel dodged away and grabbed up Buffy. The lit stove fell over and a column of flame shot up throwing Buffy and Angel across the room. Suddenly a burning beam fell to the floor and separated Buffy and Angel from Wesley. Buffy was the first up and running to get Conner.  
  
"Come on kiddo." She said picking up Conner and running back to Angel. They cover Conner and jump over the burning beam and start to head towards the door. Wesley was standing there looking at the fire.  
  
"Wesley, get out!" Angel yelled. He ran back to Wesley and yanked him into the hallway with Buffy then following Wes out quickly. Angel was bleeding from a cut on his forehead as he and Buffy stared at the space where Wesley had just been. A huge chink of hard plaster fell there and Buffy winced, looking down at Conner.  
  
"Shh, It's okay. It's okay. It's alright." She comforted. Angel came over and helped in trying to comfort the screaming Conner.  
  
Wesley looked at the blood from Angel's head wound dripping down onto Connor's blanket, a light blue blanket with fluffy white clouds on it.  
  
"Earthquake. Fire. Blood." Wesley mumbled to himself.  
  
Angel, breathing hard, looked down and Wesley, "I thought we were gonna be trapped in there, huh?" he looked down at Conner and Buffy. "At least I would have had something to snack on."  
  
  
  
The next day, Buffy, Angel and the rest of the group, including Spike and Faith, were sitting around in the lobby. Angel had gone on a mission to kill a demon that a couple had come in complaining that it had tried multiple times to kill them. Gunn had gone with Angel, but Angel had charged right on in and got severely slashed in the ribs and abdomen. Gunn had walked away with a few minor cuts and bruises.  
  
"SSSSSSSSSSS! That stings!" Angel hissed.  
  
"Stop being a baby about it." Buffy snapped at him.  
  
"I can't help it."  
  
"Yes you can."  
  
"Fred? What are you doing back there?"  
  
"Playing with Conner." She replied followed by a giggle from her and Conner.  
  
"Angel, don't worry about it. Conner is fine with them." Buffy said. By "them" she meant Gunn, Fred, and Lorne. Spike was sitting away from everyone else with Faith. They were having an intimate moment and no one really wanted to bother them. Wesley was back in the office working on that prophecy again.  
  
"I know, but I hate that I can't see him."  
  
"Angel, we're not going to be able to watch him 24/7 for the rest of our lives. He's gonna grow up and get one of those wacky things called 'a life' of his very own. I know how you feel, I want to be able to watch him 24/7, I really do, but I've faced up to the facts and so should you."  
  
"Right now we can though."  
  
"Angel, Conner needs to socialize. I read in some book that if parents hog a child all to themselves, they are going to grow up loaners. Personally, I don't want our kid to grow up with a life that's almost similar to our lives."  
  
"But."  
  
"But nothing. Let them play with Conner. Let them hold Conner. They've got now with him. We have the rest of our lives with him."  
  
Angel looked down. He knew Buffy was right and he didn't want to admit it. So he changed the subject. "Wesley was acting weirder than usual today, or was it just me?" he asked, indicating the door to Wesley's office.  
  
"Yeah. I noticed that too yesterday when he was in the apartment trying to tell you something about Conner. He never got around to it though. No thanks to that earthquake."  
  
Angel nodded and picked up the container of pig's blood beside him. He took a drink and then took a large swig of it. Then it was out of his hands. Buffy was holding it and staring at him. "Hey, give that back."  
  
"Later. You were dripping it on my hand."  
  
"Sorry. I'm just hungry. My nerves are still shot and that earthquake didn't help that one either."  
  
"You've been hungry like that for the last week or two." Buffy said going back to work on bandaging Angel up.  
  
"Can't help myself." Angel took a drink and tried not to spill any.  
  
"There." Buffy said. She wiped her finger across the bandage tape gently to make sure it stayed in place. Angel twisted and stretched a little to make sure he could maneuver in the bandage. Then he hopped down off the counter and put on a fresh shirt that Buffy had brought in from the laundry room. "Feel better?"  
  
"A little."  
  
"Good."  
  
"Hey Big Guy, Blondie. I have a proposition for you." Lorne said coming up to them.  
  
"What's that Lorne?" Buffy asked cheerfully.  
  
"You two should go out with Fred and Gunn tonight. They're going to the Santa Monica Pier and they want you to come with."  
  
"That sounds like a." Angel started to say bad idea, but Buffy cut him off.  
  
"Great idea! Just what we need."  
  
"Wonderful. Wesley and I will watch Conner tonight while you two crazy love birds go off and have fun with the other two crazy love birds." Lorne walked off and Angel turned to Buffy.  
  
"Great idea?"  
  
"Yes. We need a night away. It won't be a full night, but it will be a few hours. We'll have fun."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Positive." Buffy walked around the counter, Angel right behind her, and strolled over to Gunn and Fred. She sat down and started cooing at Conner, who's smile widened when he saw and heard his mom.  
  
"Geez, Buff. You're going to have to tell me how you do that. He never smiles and gurgles that big around us." Gunn said.  
  
"You're not his mommy or daddy are you?" Buffy said not looking away from Conner.  
  
"Nope."  
  
"I can't wait to have kids someday." Fred piped up.  
  
"You will." Buffy said to Fred, then to Conner, "Yes she will, won't she?" Conner giggled and grabbed his mom's hand. She wiggled her fingers and Conner giggled and grinned more. "If your smile gets any bigger, your mouth will just fall right off." Conner took one of Buffy's fingers and put it in his mouth. Gunn and Fred laughed. Angel sat down and Conner grabbed his dad's hand. Conner just shook Angel's hand up and down while he drooled on Buffy's.  
  
"Say cheese!" Lorne said behind them. They all turned and the flash of a camera went off. "That one's going in the family photo album!" Lorne walked off and put the camera on the counter before heading to the kitchen.  
  
"That was interesting." Angel said.  
  
  
  
That night, Buffy, Angel, Fred, and Gunn stood in the lobby dressed and ready for a night at the pier. Buffy and Angel were loving on Conner and giving Wesley and Lorne the run down of what and what not to do with Conner. They made sure that Lorne and Wes knew their cell phone numbers, the number of the pier, the numbers of Gunn and Fred's cell phones, where everything was, what to feed Conner, when to feed him, and to keep an eye on him the WHOLE three hours they were gone.  
  
Finally, they walked out the door and headed to Santa Monica. When they arrived, the first thing Buffy and Angel did was call and find out if Conner was ok. Of course he was.  
  
"Would you two stop worrying? That boy is going to be fine!" Gunn said. "He's gonna grow up to be a mama and daddy's boy."  
  
"What's wrong with that?" Angel asked.  
  
"Nothing much, but he's gonna be completely fine."  
  
"He's right. Let's go and ride the Ferris wheel. We can be silly teenagers and make out the whole time." Buffy said.  
  
For the first time that night, Angel smiled. "All right, let's go!"  
  
They headed over with Gunn and Fred following and got in line. When they got there, Angel got a little apprehensive. It was a big Ferris wheel! Buffy tugged him up and got into a bucket. They went up a little ways and then Gunn and Fred got on. The ride finally started and they were going around and around. Buffy loved this. She had always wanted to ride a Ferris wheel with Angel. They made out the most of the time, the other part they were enjoying the view. After the Ferris wheel, the walked around. Angel won a giant stuffed bear for Buffy at the milk bottle stand. They ate a funnel cake after their ride on the roller coaster and some cotton candy after the carousel. The night went by fast and soon they were on their way home.  
  
  
  
Wes stared at his translation of 'the father will kill the son.' He looked up at the bassinet as he hears Conner fussing, then closed the book on the desk in front of him on the notepad. He slowly got up and walked over to the bassinet, where Conner was now crying, and looks down at the baby.  
  
"Geez, Wes! Don't you know what you're supposed to do?"  
  
Wes looked up to see Angel standing there sipping a tall glass of blood. Angel set the glass aside and walks over to the bassinet.  
  
"You pick 'em up when they fuss." Angel did just that. "Daddy's here."  
  
"Sorry. I don't know what I was...I didn't sleep very well."  
  
"Yeah, and you look like hell. Not the fun one, where they burn you with hot pokers for all eternity, but the hardcore one, you know, Nixon and Britney Spears?"  
  
Angel laughed down at Conner.  
  
"You're awfully chipper today."  
  
"Yeah, it's weird, huh? Maybe it was the earthquake or last night at the pier, but I barely slept and I have all this energy. God, I could drink a horse!"  
  
Angel picked up his glass of blood for another drink.  
  
"Speaking of earthquake: you realize we have no insurance."  
  
"Yeah. Bummer."  
  
"Your room is..."  
  
"...the wreck of the Hesperus. I know. Wes, don't be such a worrywart. The best part about owning a hotel is plenty of rooms. I'll just move to another one until we get it fixed."  
  
"Who is that singing?  
  
"Lorne is seeing a client in the garden. Buffy's out there with them"  
  
"She's good." Then to Conner, "You wanna see the lady sing?"  
  
Angel walked over to look out at the garden court, carrying Conner and took another drink from his glass.  
  
A young woman with long blonde hair was singing to her guitar. "I fell so far, a light went on in my heart. You're gone, now I'm left alone in the dark."  
  
She stopped and turned to Lorne "Do you see anything?"  
  
"I see you're plenty scared. It's all right. Keep going."  
  
"My soul is aching..."  
  
Conner started to fuss. Buffy turned at the sound of her son and walked up to Angel.  
  
"Hey, hey, hey. No fussing now. Hey, do you wanna see something cool? Sure you do."  
  
Angel and Buffy walked back into the lobby and Angel opened the weapons cabinet as Wes watched them.  
  
They could still hear Kim outside singing"...my heart is breaking..."  
  
"Ah, huh? You like that broadsword? That's your old man's favorite." Buffy laughed and Angel turned to her. "Buffy! He's gonna be crawling in no time. We've got to start baby proofing this place!" He handed Conner to Wesley. "Here take him." Then to Conner, "It's alright. It's your uncle Wes. Yeah, he loves you bunches!" Angel turned to Buffy, "He's just.English."  
  
"Are you crazy? It's the best state in the Union!" They heard Fred say.  
  
They all looked over to see Fred coming down the stairs, talking to her cell phone.  
  
"What's wrong with Texas? Texas doesn't hate the black man. Texas *loves* the black man. Well, most of Texas. Anyone with a brain. What's so great about California?"  
  
The doors opened and Gunn walked in, also talking to his cell.  
  
"Everything. It's got the climate, the ocean..." Gunn said.  
  
"The earth that opens up and swallows you whole." Fred retorted.  
  
"The Lakers, the music." Gunn queried.  
  
They walked towards each other across the lobby, still talking into their phones.  
  
"The traffic, the smog." Fred said.  
  
They stopped face to face.  
  
"It's got you." Gunn said, knowing he had won her over.  
  
Fred closed her phone and smiled at him, "Okay. You win. Morning."  
  
Gunn smiled back "Hi."  
  
"Glad to see you're using the company phones for such important calls." Wesley said.  
  
Gunn held up his phone "Did you want me to pay for that?"  
  
"Chain 'em up!" Angel said suddenly.  
  
"What?!" Fred asked  
  
"I say we put a chain and a combination lock on the weapons. Better safe than sorry." To Conner he said, "Isn't that right, buddy?" he kissed Conner then Buffy. Then he said to Wesley "He likes you. I can tell."  
  
"I like him, too. As a matter of fact I was thinking, perhaps I'd take him to the park or the beach, just the two of us." Buffy took Conner from Wesley. "Maybe there'll be some time in the next day or two."  
  
"Sounds great. Yeah. Count on it." Buffy said.  
  
Lorne came in. "Ah, guys? I think there's something you should... Ah, can you come here for a sec?"  
  
They all followed him out into the garden court.  
  
"Everybody, this is my friend, Kim." He turned to Kim. "It's all right. They're professionals. Just take it from the chorus, hmm?"  
  
Kim started singing "My heart is breaking in two. No love, no light left, no you..." Suddenly, her face morphed into that of an ugly gray skinned demon.  
  
The demon Kim said, "I'll hack your eyeballs out and rip your children in two!" Buffy turned Conner away from Kim.  
  
Green drool started to drip from her mouth. Then, her face morphed back to human, and Lorne walked over to a shaking Kim.  
  
"It's okay. I got ya. It's all right. It's okay." Lorne turned to the others, "Catchy finish, huh?"  
  
They all walked back in and Kim sat down. They were in Wesley's office and he gave her a cup of tea  
  
"Kim is good people. She came to see me a couple of years ago." Lorne filled in.  
  
"He put me on my true path." Kim said.  
  
Lorne smiled "She was throwing her life away in medical school, when she should have been a singer."  
  
"Yeah. Who needs more doctor's in the world when you can have singing demons?" Gunn said.  
  
"Well, the demon part is new." Kim said  
  
"Ha! Singing demons, flying nuns. Good one, G!" Angel said.  
  
Angel took another drink from his glass of blood as Gunn looked over at him.  
  
"Well, she hooked up with this band a couple of weeks ago and..." Lorne started.  
  
"They were mellow organic types. They never touched drugs or played a diminished chord." Kim said.  
  
"I like nuns. How did the flying nun fly anyway? Was it god or magic?" They all looked at Angel and Buffy whacked him in the chest. "What? You think about these things sometimes." He motioned to Kim. "Please - continue!"  
  
"Uhm well, then they started changing. Stevie, the lead guitar grew a seventh finger like overnight." Kim said.  
  
"Seventh?" Buffy intoned.  
  
"Well, he already had six. I just thought... I don't really know what I thought. And Raw, the drummer, suddenly sprouted that spiny thing on his back..." Kim continued.  
  
  
  
Wesley and Fred were standing over a microscope on Cordy's desk. They were examining some of Kim's saliva.  
  
"...And they started playing this beyond industrial trash noise funk day and night. And then it happened to me. You saw it. Am I gonna turn into that?" Kim asked.  
  
"No. You're human. They're not. What's happening to you isn't permanent. It's just an infection." Wesley said.  
  
"Which you can get rid of by taking twenty milligrams of Cylenthium powder twice a day for a month." Fred said.  
  
"Mystical antibiotic. I'll get you some." Lorne offered  
  
Fred held up a glass slide "I thought your saliva was suspect. What with being green and all... No offense, Lorne. Under the microscope it showed traces of Penloxia."  
  
"Oh, they're Wraith-ers." Lorne said  
  
"Wraith-ers?" Kim asked.  
  
"Demons that can make themselves look human for a time." Wesley said showing her an entry from one of his books. "Ten days, two weeks, then they revert to what they really are."  
  
"I wonder why they would wanna look like musicians?" Gunn asked.  
  
"For the chicks. Musicians get the chicks!" Off Buffy's look. "What? They're gonna appear as dentists? Let's take 'em out." He turned to Kim. "Where are they?"  
  
"In a rehearsal space. It's an old loading dock behind the shop'n'go in Echo Park." Kim said.  
  
"Wes?" Angel asked.  
  
"You'll have to kill them. It's the only thing you can do with Wraith-ers. You, Gunn, Fred, and Buffy can go. Lorne, stay here with the baby. I have some business to take care of." Wesley said.  
  
"Guys, shouldn't we call Cordelia and the Groosalug back into action? I mean, if one of us gets hurt, say, killing Wraith-ers for example. We're gonna need some backup around here." Fred said.  
  
"Nah, I don't wanna disturb her. It's the only break she's had in years. Besides, you know, it's just a couple of Wraith-ers and we have Buffy."  
  
"Three actually." Kim said.  
  
"Piece of cake!" Angel said, pulling some shadow boxing. "I'm up for a little kick-ass! Come on! Who's with me?" 


	12. Sleep Tight

Chapter 12  
  
"So, how'd it go?" Lorne asked when they all returned.  
  
"The Wraith-ers are no more." Buffy said.  
  
"Tore 'em apart." Angel said kissing Buffy.  
  
"Literally." Fred said.  
  
Angel walked around the counter, opened the little fridge there and poured himself a glass of blood.  
  
"He has been so good the whole time his mommy and daddy's been gone." Lorne said as Angel gulped down blood. "Do you miss your mommy and daddy? They're right here." Lorne looks at Buffy and she took Conner.  
  
"Hey, Angel, I think Connor needs some papa-love too." Buffy said.  
  
"He needs a lot of things. All day, every day." Angel replied.  
  
"Well, yeah. That's kind of how kids..." Buffy started.  
  
"Connor needs a bath, Connor needs a bottle, what Connor needs is to grow up!" Angel snapped. He gulped more blood as everyone watched him.  
  
"Angel! Is something wrong?"  
  
"Gosh, no, Buffy, everything's just great!" Conner started to fuss. "I got a kid that cries, pees and moans, and never gives me a moment to myself."  
  
Connor was crying now.  
  
"Oh, it's alright." Buffy said to Conner.  
  
"It's really not. Connor, shut up!"  
  
"Don't yell at him. He's just a baby!" Buffy said.  
  
"He keeps it up he's not gonna be a baby for long!" With that Angel threw the glass at the wall, and shattered it and spattering blood everywhere.  
  
"You better get a grip right now!" Gunn said.  
  
Buffy bounced Conner and tried to comfort him as she stared at her husband.  
  
Angel stared at the blood dripping down the wall, he looked at the guys, then back at the blood. He turned to look at Buffy.  
  
"What's wrong with me?" Angel asked quietly. "Something's not right."  
  
"You could say that." Gunn snapped.  
  
"Ah, I couldn't help but notice, when did you start drinking so much blood?"  
  
"I don't know. A few days ago. A week maybe."  
  
"Where did you get it?" Fred asked.  
  
"Same butcher as always. It's - it's pig's blood. This last batch just seemed so much more..."  
  
"What?" Buffy asked from across the room. She wouldn't go near him with Conner.  
  
"Tasty." Angel said quietly after a beat.  
  
Gunn, put the crossbow down on the counter "You were all hyped this morning. Then you went all Tyson on those demons. Then you kinda crashed. Then you had another drink, then you started throwing things."  
  
"Mm-hmm, just like my aunt Viola and her Southern Comfort." Fred said.  
  
"Hey." Angel pointed to himself. "Vampire. Need to drink something red. Doesn't make me a blood-aholic."  
  
"Not unless someone's spiking your drink." Lorne said.  
  
They all look at the blood spattered wall. Buffy walked over to Gunn.  
  
"Let's find out." Fred said.  
  
  
  
"You wanna hold him? He's sleeping." Buffy asked, finally brave enough to stand by her husband.  
  
After a beat, Angel said, "Maybe that's not such a good idea right now."  
  
Fred straightened up from the microscope. "So, there is more to pig's blood than meets the eye." Fred said. Angel looked at the blood on the wall. "There's just a trace of..."  
  
"Human blood in it. I can feel it. It's his. It's Connor's." Angel said quietly.  
  
"How do you know that?" Buffy asked.  
  
"The past couple of days he's..." Angel took a deep breath and wrapped his arms around himself, "smelled like food."  
  
"So, they've been feeding you your own son's blood so you'd get the taste of it and want more."  
  
"Who's 'they'?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Who do you think?" Angel replied darkly.  
  
  
  
"Like a cat. Can't hear you. But I'm starting to feel you when you're near." Lilah said. She turned around and there is Angel with that blond slayer wife of his standing right behind him.  
  
"Isn't that nice and creepy? How'd you find me?"  
  
"Your assistant." Angel said plainly.  
  
"I'll have his arms broken."  
  
"Already taken care of." Buffy said.  
  
"And am I next?"  
  
"You know, Lilah, there are so many things I could do to you. With transfusions I could keep you alive indefinitely. I do have some expertise in this area. My own son. How could you?" Angel asked.  
  
"It's my job."  
  
Lilah turned back to her drink. After a beat Angel and Buffy sat down on stools on either side her.  
  
"Don't you ever get tired of the whole femme fatale act?" Angel asked, then to the bartender, "Whiskey, straight, lots of it." Back to Lilah. "How about just once you talk to me like a person?"  
  
"Look, I've been doing this a long damn time. I've had to be better, smarter, quicker than every man in Wolfram and Hart."  
  
"So, it's a feminist thing." To the Bartender as he set down Angel's drink, "It's on her."  
  
"It's a survival thing. I made a lot of devil's bargains and I stuck to them. As a result, I live somewhat dangerously, and quiet comfortably. My mother, who no longer recognizes me, has the best room at the clinic. I get up every morning, put on my game face and do what I have to."  
  
"Thing about a game face, Lilah, you wear it long enough, it stops being something you can put on and take off."  
  
"Wow. We've spent so much time and money on you. You're so pivotal to the coming cataclysm, that I sometimes forget how dense you can be. The game face, the one I worked so hard to get, I became that years ago. Just like you've become simpering and good from yours. You're the new poster boy for human. Thank you very much. I don't want it."  
  
"Hmm, speaking as one non-human to another: sorry if I hit a nerve."  
  
Lilah laughed "You think you can awaken some buried spark of decency in me? Is that the way you help your helpless? I'm not helpless. I'm glad you came along, because I was sitting here 'what's it all about' and now I know. It is all about making the rest of your eternal life miserable." She clinked her glass to Angel's and smiled. "Shall we drink to that?"  
  
"You back-stabbing, traitorous bitch." Sahjhan said.  
  
Angel, Buffy, and Lilah twisted around on their stools and there was Sahjhan standing behind them.  
  
"I have a lot of work to do. I can't be in every time/space at once, and here I find you drinking with my sworn enemy." Sahjhan said.  
  
"Sworn enemy? Really? Have we met? Because I don't remember swearing." Angel said.  
  
"Hey! You're that demony guy I saw with Holtz!" Buffy said.  
  
"Sahjhan, he found me." Lilah said before the demon could react to Buffy.  
  
Angel glanced from Buffy to Lilah and then to Sahjhan.  
  
"So you all are in cahoots. Ethereal time-traveling demon you're the screwball that brought Holtz back. How's that working out? He's not very fond of demons, is he?" Angel asked.  
  
"You will learn nothing from me." Sahjan said.  
  
"Other than that you're his sworn enemy, who brought Holtz back, and when that didn't work out, you came to me. Idiot." Lilah said.  
  
"Hey! You think my life is easy? I'm jumping from one dimension to another. I don't always have sound. Sometimes it's just a visual. Saw you two sitting here all chummy." Sahjhan complained.  
  
"So, why do you wanna kill my husband?" Buffy asked.  
  
Lilah said to Buffy and Angel "He wouldn't tell me either. Not that I need a reason. I was just curious." Then to Sahjhan, "Did he boink your demon bride? Eat your mother?" She looked from Sahjhan to Angel. "You really don't know who he is."  
  
"You will pay." Sahjan said.  
  
"For what?" Angel asked, genuinely confused.  
  
Sahjhan only turned and disappeared into thin air.  
  
"Well, whatever his grudge, I think you just made him madder." Lilah said.  
  
  
  
"Angel, Buffy."  
  
"Where is everybody?" Angel asked.  
  
"Fred and Gunn went for food. Lorne. had to go out. I'm watching the baby. In fact, I packed up some overnight things. We talked about me taking Conner to the park and the one across from my place is... It's always full of kids. I thought he could spend the night with me." They just stood there looking at each other silently for a moment.  
  
"That's probably a really good idea." Buffy said.  
  
Wes let out a breath.  
  
"You wanna say good-bye?"  
  
Angel took Conner. "Okay. Hey. He-he. Sleep tight, big guy." Angel smiled at Conner and gave him a kiss. "Mommy and Daddy will see you real soon." He handed Conner to Buffy and then said to Wes, "Just keep an eye... I check on him a lot during the night. You got his pediatrician's number, his baby formula?"  
  
"I've got all that."  
  
"You ever hear of a time-traveling demon by the name of Sahjhan?" Buffy cut in.  
  
"No."  
  
"The guy that brought Holtz here. He thinks I'm his sworn enemy. I don't know him from Adam. Can you hit the books before you go?" Angel asked.  
  
Wes watched Angel sit down on the settee in the lobby. The doors opened and Fred and Gunn came in.  
  
"Hey. Where is Lorne? He better show his green face pronto, or Fred'll eat his hoagie." Gunn said.  
  
"I will not! I already had two. Unless he's really not here?"  
  
"He had to go out." Angel informed.  
  
"Where?"  
  
Angel asked Wes, "Where did you say he went?"  
  
"I don't know. He didn't say exactly. I think he had to see a client. You know, I've got better reference materials for your demon at home, and Conner is getting sleepy. Why don't I look into it there?"  
  
Angel looked from Wes to Conner in Buffy's arms, to Wes' outstretched hands, back at Conner and Buffy. Slowly, Buffy lets Wes take the baby.  
  
"Ah, okay. Just call me if you find something." Angel said.  
  
Buffy's hand lingered on Conner as Wes slowly stepped away.  
  
"I guess, ah, I'll see everyone tomorrow."  
  
Angel jumped up. "Hey, Wes?"  
  
Wes half turned back to look at Buffy and Angel.  
  
"What's the closest emergency room to your place?"  
  
Wes, after half a beat, said "Drew Medical. One minute away." Wes half- hurried towards the doors, curling around Conner. "Top infant care center. Don't worry." With that Wesley left.  
  
"Well, our first whole night without the kid." Buffy said sadly.  
  
Angel put Conner's stuffed toys into the bassinet as Fred and Gunn watched him.  
  
"This'll be good for all three of us. He can bond with his Uncle Wes..." Fred and Gunn exchanged a look and a smile. "We can get some rest."  
  
Angel looked down at the stuffed monkey.  
  
"Yeah. Rest. Fun." Buffy said.  
  
Gunn smiled "We'll stay up with you guys."  
  
"Really? Thanks. You know, he's just a little guy. I'm sure he'll be..." Angel broke off as they heard moaning coming from Wes' office.  
  
"Is there someone in Wes' office?" Buffy asked.  
  
Before they could check, the front doors opened and Holtz strode in. At the same time several of his people appeared from different places all around the lobby. One even came halfway down the stairs from above.  
  
Angel and Buffy took quick looks around, marking all of Holtz' people.  
  
"Won't you come in?" Angel said sarcastically.  
  
"How is fatherhood treating you?" Holtz asked.  
  
"I like it." Holtz' guys slowly closed in, raising their weapons. "You know I met a friend of yours tonight. A demon named Sahjhan?"  
  
Holtz slowly came down the front steps into the lobby. "What did he have to say?"  
  
"He was cryptic guy. Actually he was kind of long-winded. We didn't quite get what his deal was. I wasn't paying that much attention to him." Angel said. One of the men glanced into the bassinet, then almost imperceptibly shook his head at Holtz. "He hates me. Do you know why?"  
  
"I don't really care why. So where is the little nipper?" Holtz asked.  
  
"Oh, he had to go out. Sorry. I know he'd love to meet you." Buffy said.  
  
"I'm sure he'll turn up. Looks like you made a nice life for yourself here." Holtz continued.  
  
"Are you here to fight or shall I make some tea?" Angel inquired.  
  
"I want to keep Angelus and that girl alive, but not well." 


	13. Sleep Tight cont

Chapter 13  
  
Holtz' men attacked and Angel, Buffy, Gunn, and Fred fought back. Angel tossed one guy into the weapons cabinet, breaking the glass doors. Buffy made her way to it through some more of Holtz' men, took out the sharpened baseball bat and tossed it to Gunn. She picked up the broadsword for herself, but only used it to fend off the men's weapons. Neither she nor Angel were trying to kill, just to disable.  
  
When one of the men lifted a wooden staff to stake Angel after he got knocked to the ground, Buffy shot him in the back with a crossbow bolt. As she picked up another bolt to reload, one of the men tackled her to the floor.  
  
Lorne's green hand came up behind Wes' desk as Gunn got battered back into the office by two of Holtz' men. Lorne levered himself to his feet, and seeing Gunn getting battered down, let out a high shrieking that had everyone cower down, covering their ears.  
  
Lorne kicked one of Gunn's attackers in the face as he broke off his 'musical' assault, and Gunn knocked the other one out.  
  
Holtz quietly turned away and walked out the front doors. Angel sent the last attacker flying over the counter, looks at where Holtz was standing and saw the open doors, then walked over to pull the guy lying on Buffy's back off her and helped her up.  
  
"Easy. Come on. Are you hurt?"  
  
"I don't think so." Angel kissed her and rubbed her back where the guy had landed hard.  
  
"Call Wes."  
  
Fred stumbled towards the phone. Angel saw Lorne, looking all bruised up, following Gunn out of the office.  
  
"Jeez, Lorne. They got you good. You better sit down." Buffy said.  
  
Lorne just looked at Buffy and Angel.  
  
"What?" they asked in unison.  
  
"They didn't do this to me. Wesley did." The demon answered.  
  
Everyone turned to stare at Lorne.  
  
"Wesley? What are you talking about?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Well, earlier when he came to pick up the baby, Conner started crying and Wes hummed a little lullaby, and I read him and... I don't know why he did it."  
  
"Did what?" Angel asked.  
  
"He, he's been to see Holtz behind your guys' backs. Twice. And he's not taking the baby overnight. He's, he's taking the your son away, for good."  
  
"It doesn't make any sense. Why would Wes do a thing like that? You must have read him wrong." Buffy said in disbelief.  
  
"No, I read him right. And I've got the gash on my noggin to prove it." Lorne said. Fred hung up the phone "He isn't answering his cell, pager, or home."  
  
"Where is he?" Angel asked.  
  
One of Holtz' guys, hand pressed over his side, inched along the floor.  
  
"Shouldn't we be getting these guys to a hospital or morgue?" Lorne asked.  
  
"No. Holtz knew Conner wasn't here when he walked through that door. He would have torn the place apart top to bottom. He was stalling." Angel said.  
  
"Buying Wesley some time to get away." Lorne said.  
  
"Holtz is the key. I want Holtz. If I find Wesley with him..." Angel seethed.  
  
"Angel, we don't know the whole story here. I don't think you should get too pumped..." Gunn said.  
  
"I'm not interested in what you think!" Angel snapped.  
  
"Hey, easy guys!" Lorne said.  
  
"He took my son." Buffy barked.  
  
"I know this is life and death. I'm just saying, let's get..."  
  
Angel grabbed Gunn's shirt collar with both hands and pushed him back. "He took our son!" he yelled at the man.  
  
"You better get your damn hands off of me!"  
  
"Stop it! Stop it both of you! This isn't helping, damn it!" Fred said pushing them apart. "Back off! There is only one thing that matters right now, and that is 'where is Conner?'"  
  
Gunn and Angel stood there staring at each other for a moment, then Angel brushed past Fred and Gunn to pull up one of Holtz' men. Buffy came to his side.  
  
"Get up. Where is Holtz?"  
  
"You'd think I'd tell..." the man started.  
  
Angel threw him clear across the lobby and picked up the next one. Angel pushed him up against the wall, pulled the crossbow bolt out of his side and held it up.  
  
"I'm gonna count to three and then I'm gonna bury this in your face."  
  
"Twenty two thirty nine Santa Elena. It's a big Victorian in Silverlake." He said.  
  
Angel let the guy drop to the floor and he and Buffy headed towards the door, Angel picking his broadsword off the floor as they went.  
  
"We better find Wes before they do." Fred said.  
  
"We should start at his place." Gunn said.  
  
Lorne watched Gunn and Fred hurry out.  
  
"I'll stay here in case he comes back." Lorne called  
  
He bent down behind the counter and came up holding a baseball bat.  
  
"And this time I'll be ready!"  
  
  
  
Buffy and Angel hid in the bushes and watched Lilah and the commandos talked.  
  
"Where'd he go?"  
  
"Uh, we had him, and we lost him." The lead guy said, then he put a finger up to his earpiece. "Ah, we're picking him up again. Please, just give me a moment, please. Spring Street."  
  
"Downtown?"  
  
"Yes, ma'am. Near the sixth-street bridge."  
  
"Let's go."  
  
"Sixth Street Bridge, let's go!"  
  
All the men ran to their vehicles.  
  
One of the guys was yelling, "Let's go! Hustle! Hustle!"  
  
As one of the commandos got ready to get into his Hum-vee, Angel and Buffy jumped out from behind the bushes. They smashed him into a post, then a tree, knocking him out. The driver of the Hum-vee looked over towards the passenger side when his partner didn't get in. The driver's side door opened and Buffy and Angel threw him out on the street, got in and drove off after the rest of the cavalcade.  
  
  
  
Buffy and Angel spotted the car with Holtz, Justine, and Conner in it. They were driving off, only to have a Hum-vee overtake them and cut them off. The car turned off the road, but it was quickly blocked in by more Hum-vees. Angel and Buffy jumped out of the one they were in and charged the car. Holtz got Conner out of the back while Justine tackled Angel only to get thrown aside by Buffy.  
  
Holtz stopped. "Come any closer and I'll snap his neck!"  
  
Angel and Buffy came to a dead stop.  
  
All around them commandos were jumping out of their vehicles, cocking their machine guns.  
  
"Who are they?" Holtz asked.  
  
"They work for me." Lilah replied.  
  
"Ah. The attorney."  
  
"Yes. You are gonna give us the kid, Captain Holtz."  
  
"Don't!" Buffy and Angel yelled.  
  
"That's cute. You'd rather see the fanatic with the baby than us?" then to Holtz, "Those are automatic weapons pointed at you. They didn't have them in your time. They fire sixteen bullets per second."  
  
"And if they were going to use them they would have already. They want the baby alive." Angel said.  
  
"Something we all have in common." Holtz replied.  
  
Buffy started to shiver and tremble. She recognized this place! It was from her dream. She knew what was coming. Angel looked over at her and then slipped his hand into hers. The air shivered and Sahjhan appeared.  
  
"Not all of us." Sahjan said. He looked at Lilah. "You do not want the child alive. You want the child dead. That was our arrangement."  
  
"Yeah. I'm a lawyer. Have you met me? We have a new arrangement. I'm keeping the baby." Lilah retorted.  
  
"You can't do that!"  
  
Lilah yelled to the commandos. "Ignore the loud mouth with the bad skin. He's impotent in this dimension."  
  
"We're leaving." Holtz said.  
  
"No one's going anywhere." Lilah snapped.  
  
One of the commandos stepped closer, and Buffy knocked him down, taking the weapon away from him and turning it on Lilah.  
  
"Don't shoot." Lilah said.  
  
Buffy handed the gun to Angel. She hated guns and she was shaking bad enough right now as it is.  
  
"Yeah. You really don't want to. Your bullets won't kill me. But mine will kill you and her first." Angel said.  
  
Angel looked over at Holtz and Conner then to Buffy and back.  
  
"He'll be dead before I hit the ground." Holtz stated.  
  
"I know."  
  
"So. I'm going to leave now, right? With me, he gets to live, anyone tries to take him, he dies."  
  
Angel looked at Buffy, she nodded, thinking it was the only way out of her prophetic dream, then after a long beat Angel said, "Take him."  
  
"Whoa! No! What is wrong with you people?" Sahjan asked.  
  
Holtz said to Angel and Buffy, "I will take good care of him, as though he were my own son. He'll never even know you existed. Don't come after me. You will though, won't you? Maybe I should just..."  
  
"No. Please." Buffy said, a tear moving down her cheek.  
  
Justine looked from Holtz' hand moving closer to Conner's neck, to Angel and Buffy, and back.  
  
"Take him." Buffy and Angel said painfully together.  
  
Sahjhan raised his hands and chanted, "Lekko najine forkahdio!"  
  
There was a big explosion with bright sparks and a hole opened in the air. Past the burning edges they saw a turbulent, blood red sky. It was the portal thing from Buffy's dream. Buffy and Angel's eyes widened in unison.  
  
"What you are looking into is the Quortoth, the darkest of the dark worlds. So, I can widen the portal and you can all be swallowed up by a world you cannot begin to imagine, or you can keep your word and kill that child." Then to Lilah, "Now!"  
  
When no one moved he spread his arms. "Don't say I didn't warn you."  
  
The opening in the air grew bigger.  
  
"Kill it." Lilah said  
  
"No!" Buffy and Angel yelled.  
  
The commandos, Buffy, and Angel stood there with the weapons aimed at each other. Holtz grabbed Justine and pushed her away from him then headed for the hole in the air. Angel dropped the gun and he and Buffy charged after him.  
  
Justine was screaming, "Daniel! Daniel!"  
  
Buffy and Angel were screaming, "No! NO!"  
  
Holtz jumped into the roiling red air of the portal and disappeared from view. Angel and Buffy jumped after him, but a lighting bolt that lashed out from the portal and hit them full in the chest threw them back. They flew backwards and landed with a hard thud. They rolled to look back at the portal, Buffy scrambling to get up and get her son.  
  
"Wow. I didn't count on that. Kinda takes care of my problem." Sahjan said.  
  
Buffy, Angel, and Justine were lying on the ground staring at the portal.  
  
Sahjhan raised his hands. "Forkahdio najine lekko."  
  
The hole in the air quickly shrank to a pinpoint and disappeared.  
  
"All right then." He looked down at Angel and Buffy, who were still staring at where the portal had just been. "Have a good summer." With that Sahjhan disappeared into thin air. Lilah, looked down at Angel and Buffy, who didn't move. "Hmph! Well, I'm looking at a mountain of paperwork." She turned to go.  
  
Justine got up and stumbled towards Wes' car.  
  
The commander asked Lilah, "Should we do something about..."  
  
Lilah, looked back at Angel. She actually felt pity for Buffy, but not for Angel. "Yes, we should. We should let him suffer."  
  
Angel rolled over onto all fours and looked around him. Buffy had gotten to her knees and she was shaking and crying uncontrollably. He saw Justine drive off in Wes' car. Buffy collapsed back onto the hard ground, once again facing towards where the portal had been. Angel went to her and held her tightly, rocking her back and forth. She kept repeating one word over and over. The name of their son: "Conner." 


	14. Forgiving

Chapter 14  
  
Angel stood there, surrounded by the blackened and charred remains of his apartment, and stared at the crib that had once held Conner. Buffy lay on the bed, curled in on herself. She was still crying despite the fact that she was asleep. Angel had had to carry her home because when she had tried to stand, her legs hadn't been able to hold her and she had collapsed back onto the ground sobbing and repeating their son's name. They had stayed there, holding each other for about an hour.  
  
Buffy had cried all the way back to the Hyperion. He couldn't bear to see her like this, but he was also not able to bear with the fact that his son, his miracle baby, was gone. Angel had drawn Sahjan the best he could remember. It was a way to vent a tiny portion of the grief he was feeling.  
  
Finally, Angel stirred and went to Buffy. He touched her cheek lightly and wiped away the tears there. She opened her eyes and looked at him. They were red and puffy.  
  
"Buffy, come on baby. We're gonna go and get our son back." Angel said gently.  
  
"How?" she asked hoarsely.  
  
"We're gonna look up this guy Sahjan, we might torture him, and he's gonna open the portal for us."  
  
Buffy sat up, wiping the tears away. She looked down at Angel coldly, her demeanor changed before his eyes. She went from the fragile mother who had just lost her baby, to a hardened slayer that was ready to wreak vengeance on the people who took her son. "As long as I get to help with the torture."  
  
"I promise, you will."  
  
  
  
Fred and Gunn were standing across from Lorne in the lobby.  
  
"I just don't believe it." Fred said.  
  
"Yeah. It's true." Lorne answered.  
  
"No. It can't be. The baby's not gone."  
  
"I'm sorry, sweetie, but he is."  
  
"Not like that. Not a portal." Gunn looked at her. "There, there is pulling and there is noise, and there is nothing to hold on to. Nothing at all..."  
  
"Baby..." Gunn started.  
  
"He must have been so scared."  
  
Gunn wrapped her in his arms, "Shh. I know." He stroked Fred's hair. "This is making less and less sense." He turned to face Lorne. "You expect us to believe that Wesley, our Wesley, just walked up to Holtz and handed over Connor?"  
  
"They'd been meeting secretly." Gunn threw up his hands. "I read that much before Wesley attacked me." Lorne said.  
  
"Then you read him wrong!" Gunn said.  
  
"He was not taking Connor for a stroll, Charles. When he left here with that child he wasn't planning on coming back, ever."  
  
"God. Why?" Fred murmured.  
  
Angel and Buffy came down the steps. "I don't care why. All I care about now is getting my son back. Then I'll deal with those responsible. They'll all pay. Including Wesley." Angel held Buffy's hand tightly. He looked at Lorne. "Quor-toth dimension. Ever hear of it?"  
  
"No."  
  
"That's where the portal lead. That's where our son is now. Quor-toth. Find out everything you can about it." Angel said.  
  
"Yes." Lorne said as he left.  
  
"We're going there, aren't we?" Gunn asked.  
  
"I am." Angel said.  
  
"You're not going alone." Buffy said.  
  
"Right. We're with you all the way." Gunn put in.  
  
"Good." Angel said.  
  
"It's just..." Gunn started, then broke off.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Well, don't we need to open one of those portal's first?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Right. But the last time we had to do that..." Angel and Buffy just looked at him. "I mean, well, it wasn't any of us that knew how. The guy that figured it out... Angel, how're we gonna do this without..."  
  
"We don't need him."  
  
"We don't?"  
  
"No. We're gonna find that son of a bitch who opened up the portal in the first place." He dropped a sketchpad on the desk and sat down in Wes' chair, Buffy on his lap. "His name is Sahjhan. He's some kind of inter- dimensional demon." Fred and Gunn looked at the drawing of Sahjhan. "He's been behind this from the beginning."  
  
At that moment Faith and Spike walked in.  
  
"Hey guys, what's going on?" Faith asked cheerily. "I have food if anybody wants it."  
  
When they just looked at her, Faith finally noticed the hardened faces of Buffy and Angel. She also noticed the slight redness of Buffy's eyes. She knew the other slayer had been crying.  
  
"Oh God, what's happened? Where's Conner?" Faith asked.  
  
"In hell." Buffy replied steely. "And we're gonna get him back."  
  
"What do mean luv?" Spike asked.  
  
"Wesley took Conner and gave him to Holtz. Holtz took our son and went to hell with him." Angel replied.  
  
"Oh God B! I'm so sor." Faith started.  
  
"Don't!" Buffy said. "Right now I'm not interested in anybody's sorries. All I want is to get my son back and make the people pay for what they did to my baby boy." Buffy's voice started to crack as she said baby boy, but she cut it off and turned off all emotions except hate and revenge.  
  
"Then let's get to work. We're not going to get the little guy back just sittin' around here on out bleedin' asses." Spike said.  
  
  
  
Gunn, Angel, and Spike were looking through files and books, while Fred was working on the laptop. Buffy and Faith were sitting in the lobby checking out weapons.  
  
"I'm not finding anything on Sahjhan. Are you sure that's what you heard?" Fred asked.  
  
"I'm sure. Maybe you're not spelling it right." Angel said.  
  
"I tried every permutation in English anyway. It could be a nickname, which would probably be referenced in Phisto's Dictionary of Demons and Dimensional Spirits."  
  
"Okay?"  
  
"But it's in Ga-shundi and I don't read Gashundi."  
  
Angel said to Gunn "Did we check the files?"  
  
"They're in English. Cordelia's filing system isn't." he replied.  
  
"She was keeping some kind of list of Time and Space shifting Entities."  
  
"Okay. Would that be under Time, Space, Shifting, or Entities?"  
  
"Let's just check them all."  
  
Buffy walked in and went over to Angel. "Find anything?"  
  
"Not yet." He replied.  
  
Fred picked up the phone "It's Monday. What time is it in Mexico?"  
  
Angel hurried over and put his finger on the phone, hanging up the connection.  
  
"What are you doing?" Angel asked.  
  
"Calling Cordelia."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Why?"  
  
Angel took the receiver from her and hung it up.  
  
"I don't wanna ruin Cordelia's holiday."  
  
"Angel, don't you think she would want us to call? Shouldn't we be telling her what happened? Maybe she could help."  
  
"No!"  
  
"Angel..."  
  
"No, Angel's right! She'll be back soon. And when she does she'll have presents, for Connor. And he's gonna be here so she can give them to him, okay?" Buffy said, her voice breaking as she came close to crying again.  
  
Fred said in a whisper. "Okay." She went to Buffy and hugged her. "We'll get him back."  
  
Angel looked around the office. "I'm sorry."  
  
"No." Fred said.  
  
"This, this isn't working. Forget about all this. I gotta go." Angel walked out taking Buffy with him.  
  
Fred stared after them. "Did he just say to forget about all this?"  
  
"Yeah, he did." Spike said.  
  
"You don't suppose he's decided to skip right to the 'dealing with those responsible' part, do you?" Fred asked.  
  
"I think we need to find Wesley." Gunn said.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
They all hurried out.  
  
  
  
Angel was staring at his weapons cabinet when Lorne walked into the lobby and came to stand behind him.  
  
"Hey. I, I talked to a couple of different sources like you asked. Angel the news isn't good. This, this Quor-toth dimension is... everyone I spoke to is afraid of it." Lorne said.  
  
Angel walked over to the desk and looked through the drawers. He pulled out a staple remover and held it up next to his ear, clicking it.  
  
"And these are not easily rattled people. And that's, that's not all." Lorne continued.  
  
Angel dropped the staple remover and picked up the spike holding old notes and started to pull them off.  
  
"The portal you saw opened? It was no portal, because there are no portals to Quor-toth."  
  
Angel examined the tip of the spike.  
  
"The only way in is to rip right thorough the fabric of reality."  
  
Angel walked past Lorne and started up the stairs. Lorne sighed and followed him.  
  
"This isn't a matter of finding an inter-dimensional hotspot or conjuring and opening it with a simple incantation. To punch through to Quor-toth would require dark, dark magicks, the kind of power it takes centuries to build."  
  
Angel, still apparently ignoring Lorne, stopped in front of the door of his old apartment.  
  
"Angel, I know this isn't easy for you but you got to hear it. If you somehow managed to get in, finding Connor would be like looking for a needle in a haystack the size of China."  
  
"Needles. Should have thought of that." Angel said.  
  
Angel entered his old apartment.  
  
"You just don't have the resources to conjure up that much dark power."  
  
Tied to the chair in the middle of Angel's scorched apartment was Linwood. Buffy stood off to the side, staring callously at Linwood.  
  
"Oh, I think we do." Buffy said.  
  
Angel took a pair of scissors from Buffy.  
  
"Angel? Who is this?" Lorne asked.  
  
"Linwood Murrow, division president of Special Projects at Wolfram and Hart and you are?" Linwood said.  
  
"Ah, deeply troubled."  
  
"Then you, Angel, and that Slayer over there have a lot in common. Abducting an employee of Wolfram and Hart, then again, they might be too troubled to consider the consequences."  
  
Angel was arranging different implements on a table behind Linwood.  
  
"Once the firm finds out what you've done..."  
  
Angel, inspected a razor blade "...they'd kill you before they kill me."  
  
"Angel, Buffy, this isn't some slimy demon you got trussed up here. He's human," Lorne glanced at Linwood, "marginally, but still. This isn't gonna bring Connor back."  
  
"He better hope it does." Buffy said.  
  
"Do you even know what you're doing?"  
  
"At last count, the charges were kidnapping, assault and battery and attempt..." Linwood started, but he trailed off as Angel sat down the tray that held his chosen implements on the table next to Linwood, and stared as Angel picked up the note-spike.  
  
"...none of which I intend to press. In fact, let's not press anything, shall we?" Angel sat down across from him, the spike in hand. Buffy leaned over on Linwood's shoulder and looked at Angel. "Wanna find your son? I can guarantee that the full force and faith of Wolfram and Hart will be at your disposal."  
  
Angel leaned in close, the tip of the spike hovered in front of Linwood's right eye.  
  
"Who is Sahjhan? How do I get my hands on him?" Buffy looked at him. "We, how do WE get our hands on him?"  
  
'If you'll just hit 'three' on my speed dial... the cell phone's in my jacket pocket."  
  
After beat, Buffy slid her hand down Linwood's chest and pulled out Linwood's cell, pushing three. She held the ringing phone to Linwood's ear.  
  
"Hello Lilah. I'm sending over a couple of clients, and I want you to listen very carefully because I have explicit instructions on how to deal with them. Give them anything they want."  
  
  
  
Lilah, Angel, and Buffy walked down the halls of Wolfram and Hart.  
  
"Kidnapping Linwood. You guys are really stepping up to it. The white room. I mean, they just don't talk about it. God, the white room. I was here three years before I even heard of it. Did he tell you what was in it?"  
  
"Answers." Angel said as they came to an elevator. "Up or down?"  
  
"Up."  
  
Angel pushed the up button and they entered. Once inside Angel pulled out a piece of paper then punched the floor buttons in a certain sequence.  
  
"He tell you how to get there? There was a guy in litigation. He went to the white room in September. He's in an asylum now." Lilah continued.  
  
Angel pulled out one of the buttons, and a new, bigger button appeared above the other ones.  
  
"Wow. I should probably hold on to..."  
  
Lilah reached for the paper in Angel's hand, but he stuffed it in his pocket. Angel pushed the button and the elevator dissolved into a blinding white light. When the brightness dimmed, Angel, Buffy, and Lilah found themselves in a big, white, empty room.  
  
"Hello." A little girl's voice said behind them.  
  
They turned around to see a little girl sitting primly in a chair.  
  
"Angel the vampire with a soul. Buffy the vampire Slayer. Lilah, your fingernails are pretty. I love red." She turned to Angel. "You have a taste for red, too and revenge. I know. It's so much more fun than forgiveness. So what's up?"  
  
"A demon named Sahjhan has taken our son." Angel said.  
  
"Oh, do you want you little baby back?"  
  
Angel took a step forward, but Buffy put a hand on his arm and he stopped.  
  
"Baby's gone. You want Sahjhan. Nowadays you can walk right through him, but in the past they were something else."  
  
A picture appeared and they saw Sahjhan cutting off one warrior's head then turning to engage another armored warrior in a scraggly forest.  
  
"They were all about torture and death. You can relate. Well, they caused a lot of trouble. Don't get me wrong. I like trouble. But I hate chaos. So we changed 'em."  
  
"You made them immaterial." Angel said.  
  
"Smart boy."  
  
They saw Sahjhan attack another warrior, but their weapons went right through the other without causing any kind of damage.  
  
"Now they watch, and they can no longer touch."  
  
"How do you capture them?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Well, there is a special urn."  
  
The picture changed and they saw an urn and some chanting monks. A demon like Sahjhan came into the chamber. One of the monks opened the urn and the demon was sucked into it in a streak of light.  
  
"They're expensive and hard to come by. But you don't want his essence in a jar. You want something you can sink your teeth into." Angel slowly turned his head to look at Lilah. "You know these things always come at a price. Kill Lilah."  
  
Lilah looked from the girl, then to Angel, who was reaching over without hesitation to break Lilah's neck. The girl let out a giggle, but stopped him before he could complete the action.  
  
"That's good for now." Angel let Lilah go. "I can see why they respect you. Now, as to your demon made flesh. It's a big ritual. All here."  
  
The girl held up her hand. On it lay a folded piece of parchment. The paper disappeared from her hand and reappeared in Buffy's.  
  
"Can't wait to see how it turns out." The girl said as the room flared white and disappeared.  
  
  
  
Angel straightened up from painting a pentagram on the floor of the Hyperion's lobby.  
  
"Angel, please do not do this thing. We'll find some other way."  
  
"There is no other way." Lilah said.  
  
"You know, not speaking would be a really good look for you." Buffy said.  
  
"How's that?"  
  
"Looks about right."  
  
"What's next?"  
  
"What's next is we reconsider this. Angel, you guys are messing with primordial powers of darkness here!"  
  
Angel said to Buffy "Next?"  
  
"Buddy, is this really how you two want to get Connor back?"  
  
"What's next!?" Angel said glaring at Lorne.  
  
Buffy consulted the notes. "Human blood."  
  
Angel took the paper from her and read it, then he looked from Lorne, to Buffy, then to Lilah. Lilah turned and she, Buffy, and Angel looked at Linwood sitting, bound to his chair, across from the pentagram.  
  
Lilah picked up a knife and walked over to stand in front of Linwood. Never taking her eyes off his face she slowly sliced the knife across the palm of her left hand, then she went and dribbled some of her blood onto the middle of the pentagram.  
  
Angel turned out the lights and started to read from the paper. "Corpus granok Sahjhan demonicus."  
  
A blue light began to swirl around the painted circle, and then congealed into a vaguely humanoid shape in the middle of the pentagram. Angel and Buffy reached for their battle-axes. There was a flash of light and a burst of wind and then the pentagram was dark and empty again.  
  
"Where is he? Huh?" Angel asked.  
  
Angel banged the ax into the floor then leveled it at Linwood "Where is he?!" Linwood had no answer. 


	15. Forgiving cont

Chapter 15  
  
Angel was dragging the chair with Linwood still tied to it up the stairs. Buffy was right at Angel's side.  
  
"Lilah! Do something!" Linwood cried.  
  
"Angel, killing this creep isn't going to solve anything. You don't wanna do this." Lorne said.  
  
"That's where you're wrong." Angel said.  
  
"Angel, we had a deal! I gave you everything you asked for. What more do you want from me? Buffy, please reason with him!" Linwood asked.  
  
"I want my son back just as much as Angel does. I carried him through nine months. I went through the pain of labor and delivery. Did you know that Conner and I could have died that day?" Buffy said.  
  
"Lilah!" Linwood cried.  
  
Lilah came running, cell phone in hand. "Hey, whoa! Flag on the play. The firm's tech team just registered a sever bio-plasmic disturbance at Tabor and National at the same time as the spell."  
  
"Sahjhan?" Angel asked.  
  
"Whatever it was flipped a two ton truck like a Tonka toy."  
  
Angel looked at Buffy, she nodded, and he let go of the chair. Linwood tumbled down the steps, the chair breaking to pieces, and landed at Lilah and Lorne's feet.  
  
Fred and Gunn came running in, stopping Buffy and Angel at the bottom of the steps.  
  
"We need to talk." Fred said.  
  
"Not now." Angel replied.  
  
Angel tried to steer him and Buffy past her, but Fred stepped in his way again.  
  
"Fred!" Buffy said agitated.  
  
"There's something you need to know before..." Fred started, but Buffy and Angel moved around her and ran for the doors.  
  
"The father will kill the son!" Fred called.  
  
Buffy and Angel stopped on the landing and slowly turned around.  
  
"There is a prophecy in the Nyazian Scrolls. Wesley checked the translation, the commentaries, even went to the mystical oracles, but he couldn't disprove it."  
  
"They already fed you Conner's blood, bro. You said it yourself. He smelled like food." Gunn said.  
  
"He was trying to protect Conner." Fred said.  
  
"He was trying to protect you two, same as we're doing right now."  
  
After a moment Buffy and Angel turned back to the doors. Fred hurried to step between them and the doors.  
  
"Angel, the prophecy..." Fred started.  
  
"It's a lie. I'd never hurt Connor." Angel said.  
  
"How can you know that for sure?"  
  
"I'd never hurt someone I care about. Now move."  
  
With a sigh Fred stepped aside and allowed Buffy and Angel to leave.  
  
Fred hurried to Gunn. "We have to go after them."  
  
"We can't. Angel or Buffy lays a finger on you, I'll have to kill them myself."  
  
Gunn turned and saw Lilah help Linwood to his feet.  
  
"What are they doing here?"  
  
"There was kidnapping, a spell, dark magic. It's bad, kids." Lorne answered.  
  
"He's gonna to pay for this." Linwood said.  
  
"Really bad."  
  
  
  
As Buffy and Angel walked out of the Hyperion, a Crossbow bolt buried itself in Angel's shoulder. Angel looked up and saw Justine shooting a second bolt at him. Buffy caught the bolt as Angel twisted to avoid the second shot while he pulled out the first bolt. He threw down the bolt and they continued on their way. The remainder of Holtz' men attack them and they take them down in short order, then they resumed their exit. As they stepped out through the gate, Justine hits Angel with a hard right cross.  
  
"Don't run off now. The fun's just staring."  
  
Buffy intercepts the stake headed for Angel's chest and Angel pushed Justine up against the fence.  
  
"I'm not your boyfriend. Find somebody else to smack you around."  
  
Angel tossed Justine to the ground and by the time she rolled onto her back, hands raised to parry the next blow, Buffy and Angel were nowhere in sight.  
  
  
  
Angel and Buffy arrived at the scene of the accident that Sarjhan might have caused. The driver of the pickup sat hunched up on the curb of the street. They walked up to him. Angel decided to let Buffy talk to the guy. He would probably open up to a beautiful woman like Buffy faster than he would Angel.  
  
"Are you alright?" Buffy asked.  
  
"I tried to stop it. It's all my fault." The driver said.  
  
Buffy crouched down next to him. "Hey. What's your name?"  
  
"Uhm, Al Stokley. Not even my truck."  
  
"Hey, Al, can you tell me what happened here?"  
  
"Ah, I hit... Oh god. I, I hit a guy, a man."  
  
"This man you hit, where is he?"  
  
"I don't know. There, there's no way he could have gotten up." He looked over at where paramedics were working on a guy on a stretcher. "God, those poor people."  
  
"You didn't do anything wrong."  
  
"It's all my fault."  
  
"No. No, it isn't."  
  
Angel walked over to look at the underside of the overturned pickup. He reached to touch the front bumper then examined his fingers.  
  
"What's ya got?" Buffy asked, coming up behind him.  
  
"It was Sarjhan, I can feel it. Plus there's some demon blood here." Angel said.  
  
"Let's go get the bastard."  
  
  
  
Justine sat down on the edge of a table, slowly lifting her hand and looking at it. A grate slid to the side and Gunn and Fred entered.  
  
"Where is Wes?" Gunn asked.  
  
"He's not coming back." Justine stated.  
  
"What?"  
  
"It was all lies, every bit of it. All he wanted was that kid to punish Angel. He never cared about anything else."  
  
"I'm talking about Wesley. His car is parked up top here. You obviously took it from him. Where is he?"  
  
"We just wanna hear his side." Fred said.  
  
"His side? His side's kinda funny. He sacrificed everything he believed in to save that kid."  
  
"By helping Holtz take him to hell? I'd like to hear it from the horse's mouth." Gunn said.  
  
"Your friend's innocent."  
  
"Is he alive?" Fred asked.  
  
Justine didn't answer.  
  
"Where is he?! Will you just tell us?!"  
  
"Heaven? Hell? I slit his throat."  
  
Fred hit Justine. Justine tried to hit back, but Gunn stepped between them and intercepted the hit, then tossed Justine off the table. Justine came back up and attacked Gunn. Gunn tossed her on the ground.  
  
"Stay down!"  
  
"Um, no." Justine jumped back up and launched herself back at Gunn. After a quick exchange of blows, Justine again ended up on the floor.  
  
"I trusted the wrong man." She cried.  
  
Gunn grabbed her by the lapels. "You're gonna take us to him and he better be alive!"  
  
"You call that a fight?" They all turned to see Shajhan standing in the doorway. "Let me show you how we used to do it." Sajhan started to come towards them. "So. My home. Uninvited guests. This can't end well."  
  
"That's the guy right?" Gunn asked.  
  
"Uh-huh." Fred said.  
  
"Hi Justine. I remember you. One of Holtz' groupies. You tried to cut off my head." Shajahn hit Justine and she went flying across the chamber. "Can't tell you how much I missed doing that." He turned to face Fred and Gunn. "I also missed gravity, friction, and smashing things to pieces." He picked up a chair and smashed it to pieces on the table. "Let's start with your skulls."  
  
"Or yours." Angel said as he and Buffy entered the room.  
  
"Angel! Buffy! Nice of you to join us. I'm guessing I have you two to thank for the whole mortal coil thing."  
  
"Yeah. Tell you what: you take me and my wife to the Quor-toth world, help me find my son, we'll call it even."  
  
"Really? You, me, and the pretty blond? Buddy cop, summer release? We iron out our wacky differences and bond? I don't think so."  
  
"You're taking us there."  
  
"Couldn't, even if I wanted to."  
  
"You're lying." Buffy said.  
  
"No. That I'm telling the truth about. Your kid's gone, for good. I could open the Quor-toth exactly one time. That's why I chose it. Try again; the whole universe could go kaplooey. Bad for me, bad for America."  
  
"So, what are you lying about?" Buffy asked  
  
"Oh, well, I don't like to brag, but read any good prophecies lately?"  
  
"You wrote the prophecies."  
  
"More a re-write."  
  
"The father will kill the son." Fred said.  
  
"Yeah. I flitted back and forth in time. Changed the one that threatened me, polished some others. Flitted in a manly way, just so we're clear." To Angel he said, "You're not really my enemy. Your in my home and I'm gonna kick your ass, but you where never the point."  
  
"It was Conner."  
  
"Boy! Can't put one over on you, can you? Oh, wait - already did. It's pretty freaky the first time you see your name in a true prophecy all carved in blood on an official scroll. The one made by the vampire with a soul and the vampire slayer will grow to manhood and kill Sahjhan.' Me!"  
  
"So you planted false prophecies, that Angel would kill his son, and Wesley believed them." Fred asked.  
  
"Thank god he had some spine. Holtz was useless. He wanted to raise your kid as his own! I'm living with a knife over my heart for eleven hundred years and he's into petty revenge! If he'd just killed the damn thing while it was still in its mother we could have avoided all this!" Angel morphed and attacked Sahjhan, but Shajhan deflected him into the wall. Buffy hit Shajhan and gotknocked down. Before Shajhan can do any more to her, Angel is back and the two of them start slugging each other.  
  
Fred took a hold of one of the fire bowls and tossed the burning coals into Sahjhan's face. Sahjhan shook them off and looked at Fred. "Do I look like I need more skin problems?" Sahjhan went to attack Fred, but Buffy knocks her out of the way.  
  
"Fred!" Gunn cried running over to the two girls.  
  
"Watch her Gunn." Buffy warned.  
  
Angel attacked again. They exchanged more blows, then Sahjhan tossed Angel against the wall. Buffy attacked and got thrown hard against the same wall and landed next to Angel. Sahjhan came over and grabbed Angel by the throat and threw him around a bit more, in the end tossing Angel onto the table. Angel's face morphed back to human. Sahjhan picked up one of the legs from the broken chair and raised it to stake Angel.  
  
"Had to put your boy down. Pity. The kid had a big future. I mean big." Sajhan said.  
  
"Angel!" Buffy cried.  
  
Justine appeared in the door behind Sajhan, cradling something in her arms.  
  
Shajhan said to Angel, "Oh well, we all gotta go sometime. You're bitch is gonna be next."  
  
As Sahjhan got ready to stake Angel, Justine opened the jar she held and Sahjhan was sucked into it in a swirl of light.  
  
"No. No! Don't do that! Nooo!" Sajhan cried.  
  
Justine closed the lid of the urn and set it on the floor as the others picked themselves back up.  
  
"Holtz left it." Justine said.  
  
"What about Wesley?" Fred asked.  
  
"The park next to his place, that's where I left him."  
  
Buffy helped Angel stand straight as he tried to stand and nearly fell. He put his arm around her and kissed her forehead. They walk out silently.  
  
  
  
Gunn, Fred, Angel, and Buffy looked around the area where Wesley was earlier, but he was nowhere to be found.  
  
"Maybe she was lying." Fred said.  
  
Angel and Buffy were standing where Wes had fallen, Angel staring at the sky.  
  
"No. He was here." Angel said.  
  
"How can you..." Fred started.  
  
"The blood." Buffy said.  
  
"We should get going." Gunn said/  
  
"He can't be dead." Buffy said.  
  
"We'll keep looking. Lorne's been calling hospitals all night." Fred said.  
  
"We'll call Faith and we'll find him." Gunn said.  
  
Angel kept staring at the lightning sky.  
  
  
  
Angel stared at Wesley's tea set in his office. Buffy sat on the desk next to him, stroking his hair. He had his hand on her waist. He felt like he should say something to her. She was going through more than he was. He had never seen Buffy more torn apart by anything before than he had when her child was kidnapped and taken to hell in front of her very eyes. She had been keeping a straight demeanor since she stopped crying that night they went after Linwood, cracking every now and then only to reel it all back in. She was strong, but he was afraid that if she held all this stuff in, he might lose her like he lost their son. As he started to say something, Lorne walked in.  
  
"Hey, I, ah, cleaned the pentagram as best I could. The dried blood, well, that's starting to be a look out there."  
  
"Thanks." Angel said.  
  
"Yeah, well, you know me. Like to keep busy."  
  
Angel leaned forward in the chair onto the desk. "It's not right. All I could think about was getting my hands on Sahjhan. Fred and Gunn tried to keep us from..."  
  
"Going to far?"  
  
"Nearly got them killed."  
  
"Yeah, you did. I'm glad it didn't work out that way."  
  
Angel stood and walked over to the sideboard and picked up one of the teacups. "You think Wesley is..."  
  
"I don't know. I hope for the best. You know, there is a bigger picture here, guys. And in that bigger picture there is a glass."  
  
"If the words 'glass is half full' are about to come out of your mouth don't."  
  
"No. No, this is more a glass half full of spiked blood. If Sahjhan and that lady lawyer pulled off their feeding plan, you'd have Conner's blood on your hands."  
  
"Don't I anyway?"  
  
"No! You think there is something more you could have done? You did everything you could with the knowledge you had. Just like Wesley. You know, maybe the way to start forgiving yourself is by starting to forgive him."  
  
The telephone rang and Buffy picked it up.  
  
"Angel Investiga... Hey, Fred! They did? And? Okay, where? Uh-huh. Yeah, he's right here. I'll tell him. Okay, thanks." Buffy said into the phone. "They found Wesley."  
  
  
  
Angel and Buffy walked into a hospital waiting room to find Fred, Gunn, Faith getting up from a couch.  
  
"Hey. It's good you guys came." Faith said.  
  
Angel let out a sigh. "He ask for us?"  
  
"Nah, he can't speak yet. Trachea is all messed up. Lost a lot of blood. It's just good you two came."  
  
"He's not completely out of the woods yet. You're being here can only help." Fred said.  
  
"Can we see him?" Buffy asked.  
  
"I'm sure he'd like that." Fred said.  
  
Buffy and Angel moved past them, hand in hand, to the door of room 319 and opened it. They walked into Wes' hospital room. There were x-rays of his throat hanging on the wall. Wesley, an IV in the back of his left hand and a bandage around his throat, was lying on the bed with his eyes closed. A heart monitor was beeping in the steady rhythm of his heart.  
  
Angel closed the door and walked over to the bed by Buffy as Wes' eyes blinked open.  
  
"Hey Wesley." Buffy said. "I'm sorry for what you're going through. I know that you were trying to protect our son, but you should have come to me. Truthfully, I'm the only protection Conner needed from Angel. Angel never would have touched Conner or me. Just don't ever do it again." Buffy smiled tightly.  
  
Wesley looked back and tried to smile a little. Then he looked at Angel who started to talk.  
  
"Hey, Wes. I just, I want you to know I understand why you did it. I know about the prophecies and I know how hard it must have been for you to do what you did. You thought I was gonna turn evil and kill my son. I didn't. It's important you know that. This isn't Angelus talking. It's me, Angel. You know that, right?"  
  
Wesley blinked his eyes once.  
  
"Good."  
  
Then suddenly, Angel pulled the pillow out from under Wes' head and pushed it down on Wes' face.  
  
"Angel no!" Buffy screamed. She tried to pull Angel off, but she couldn't budge him. He shook her off against the wall and she sunk to the floor.  
  
"You son of a bitch, you're gonna pay for what you did! You took my son! You son of a bitch! You bastard!" Angel screamed.  
  
"Gunn! Faith!" Buffy shouted, getting back up and grabbing Angel's arm.  
  
Gunn, Faith, and Fred's heads jerked up out in the waiting room as they hear Buffy screaming for them and a heart monitor alarm going off. Orderlies ran past them to reach Wes' room.  
  
"You think I'd forgive you?! No! Never! You're gonna die! You hear me? You're gonna pay!"  
  
Wes' hands fumbled over Angel's arms and shoulders.  
  
"Angel no!"  
  
The first orderly ran in and helped Buffy pull Angel and the pillow off Wes' for a moment. Angel shrugged them off and pushed the pillow back down on Wes' face.  
  
"You took my son! You took my son!"  
  
"Stop it!" Buffy yelled.  
  
"Get off him!" Faith screamed.  
  
"You took my son!"  
  
Gunn grabbed a hold of Angel with Buffy and Faith and they pulled him off Wesley.  
  
"Angel! Stop!" Buffy and Gunn yelled.  
  
"Never! Never!"  
  
"Come on, man, stop!" Gunn yelled.  
  
"I'll kill him! You're dead!"  
  
Gunn, Buffy, and Faith wrestled Angel backwards out of the room.  
  
"Angel, stop!" Buffy yelled.  
  
Wes was lying on his bed, gasping for breath.  
  
"You're dead! You're a dead man, Pryce! You're dead! I'll kill you! I'll kill you. You're a dead man! Dead!" Angel screamed, "Dead!"  
  
They got him out in the hall and the orderlies slammed the door to Wesley's room. Gunn and Faith let go of Angel and Buffy jerked him to the elevators. They rode down in silence. When they got outside and turned the corner a block away from the hospital, heading back to the Hyperion, Buffy punched Angel harder than she had ever punched before. He went flying backwards into the wall and slammed to the ground. Buffy started to cry, angry tears falling down her face.  
  
"What the hell did you think you were doing?" she yelled at him.  
  
"That bastard deserves to die for what he did to my son!" Angel yelled back, not trying to get up because he knew she would just put him back down on the ground.  
  
"OUR son you stupid son of a bitch! OUR SON!"  
  
"You weren't gonna do anything to him!"  
  
"No, I wasn't! He's suffering enough Angel. We were in a hospital! You never think Angel." Buffy sobbed. He got up and tried to hug her, but she shoved him back against the wall. "Stop it! You're not the man I married!"  
  
"Buffy, please!"  
  
"Our son is gone Angel! Did you think killing Wesley was going to bring him back? Our son is.Conner, he's gone!"  
  
This time when Angel came to hug her, she let him. She sobbed into him. "I want him back. I want my son back." Angel started to cry with her. They sank to the ground.  
  
"I'm sorry. Buffy, I'm so sorry. I love you. Shh, please, God, don't cry."  
  
"Conner! I want him back."  
  
They sat there crying as it started to rain. Buffy cried like she had cried the night she had destroyed the Master's bones. This time was a little bit worse than that. She was finally breaking down over her lost son and all Angel could do was cry with her and try to comfort her. 


	16. Double or Nothing

Chapter 16  
  
Angel sat on the charred bed as Buffy sat beside him. They had returned last night to an empty hotel. They had showered and changed into more comfortable, less wet clothes. Buffy told Angel she was going to the kitchen, but when she didn't return for a while, Angel got worried and went down to find her sitting on the kitchen floor crying. She had called Willow and told her, Tara, and Dawn what had happened, and she had done it all without crying. Angel had taken her back upstairs and they had sat there all night and most of the day. They never talked to each other, they really didn't have to. Now they sat in the same position, Buffy's head on Angel's shoulder and Angel's head lying on top of hers.  
  
  
  
"It's hopeless. Half these files I can't even read the client's names! What's this? Fizzana? Fizz, Fizzacar? What does this say to you?" Gunn asked.  
  
"I think it's Frysylka? Oh, right. They were that couple that called last week with the squatter in their layer. Wesley was supposed to ... It was supposed to be taken care of." Fred answered.  
  
"Well, I guess he was too busy stealing the baby."  
  
"Don't. Okay?"  
  
Lorne walked in. "So, how's it coming? Making any headway on those pending file piles?"  
  
"Some. Sorta." Gunn said.  
  
"There's just so much to keep track of." Fred countered.  
  
Lorne looked at the stairs leading up. "Still. At times like these it's good to keep busy. Throw yourself into work. Stay active."  
  
"Lorne, they lost their only child they'll ever have." Fred said.  
  
"Ah, sugar, I know. I know. I just wish they'd talk to us."  
  
"Might be safer to leave them alone for a while. I'm pretty sure the rage is past, but you really wanna find out first hand?" Gunn said.  
  
"I'm sure Angel's not planning to finish what he started at the hospital." Fred said.  
  
"Only because Wesley is too smart to show his face around here."  
  
They all turned as the hotel doors opened and Cordy and Gru walked in.  
  
Cordy grinned. "We're back! And we're bearing gifts!"  
  
They all just looked at her.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
  
  
The door opened to Angel's apartment and Cordy stepped in. Neither Buffy nor Angel turned to acknowledge her. She stepped over the fallen beam and walked over to the couple. Cordy sat down next to Buffy and put a hand on her back.  
  
"I'm so sorry."  
  
Buffy and Angel didn't respond, but Cordy knew they heard her. To Cordy, they looked like two grieving statues. Cordy stood and walked out leaving them alone again.  
  
She came back later that day to find them lying on the bed, staring at the ceiling. She walked over to a chair and sat down. Buffy glanced down at Cordy.  
  
"I'm just here, ok?"  
  
Buffy looked at her a little while longer than closed her eyes as tears started to well up. Soon, Cordy got hungry and she left the room thinking the two were asleep. When she came back, they were sitting up and looking at Conner's crib again. Cordy went over and hugged Buffy. The slayer didn't hug back, just reached up and touched Cordy's arm. Cordy let go and went back to her chair. She shut her eyes and after a while Angel said something.  
  
"I think he was gonna be left-handed." Cordy opened her eyes and looked at the two on the bed. Angel was talking to no one in particular, but he had the attention of Buffy and Cordy. "The way he would hold on to your fingers? His left hand always squeezed just a little bit tighter. Kid had a grip. He was gonna be a southpaw for sure. When you live as long as I do, you eventually lose everyone. I'm not saying you get used to it, but you expect it. You deal. But he was just... He was just a little... You think you know something about living because you have this really long life. And that's really all we have, I mean, in my case anyway. And one day you wake up and you have something else. Something so much more."  
  
"A future." Cordy said.  
  
"We had a son and I have a wife. A family."  
  
Buffy gripped Angel's hand and she put her head on Angel's shoulder. He leaned over and kissed her hair.  
  
"What are we gonna do?" Buffy asked.  
  
"We could always go back to Sunnydale."  
  
"No! What if Conner comes back? He'll be so scared! He'll think we don't love him because we left and moved on."  
  
"Shh." Angel rubbed her back. She let one tear fall before she got up to get something off the floor. It was a smaller replica of Mr. Gordo, Buffy's stuffed pig. She had found this in a shop somewhere in LA and bought it, saying that he wasn't old enough to get the original.  
  
Cordy got up and walked to Buffy. Buffy carefully placed the little pig in the crib. Cordy rubbed her back and Buffy turned to face her.  
  
"I miss him so much."  
  
"I know." Cordy said. She pulled Buffy into a hug and this time Buffy did hug back. They let go and walked back into the main room. Buffy sat back on the bed and Cordy on the chair.  
  
"I'm not going to sit here and pretend that I know what you guys are going through or that I could begin to understand what it is you're feeling. The last thing you need right now is someone saying that given time things will get better or the hurt's gonna go away. Because things won't get better. The hurt's never gonna go away. The truth is, if you both lived another two hundred years, you'd never forget how Connor was taken from you. And you shouldn't. You both loved your son, and you'll go on loving him, and missing him. You'll go on living, too. You'll do that."  
  
"I don't know how." Angel said.  
  
"You don't need to. The 'how' works itself out. Life will just keep happening. There'll be people who need us and so we'll help them 'cause that's what we do."  
  
They heard someone crying and Cordy got up. She opened the door to the apartment to reveal Fred standing in the hall, crying.  
  
"Fred." Cordy said.  
  
"I'm sorry. I was gonna knock, but it wasn't a good time, so I didn't. And I don't know what else to do!" Fred said.  
  
"Fred, what is it? What's wrong?" Buffy asked.  
  
"It's Charles. I think he's in terrible danger."  
  
  
  
"Wow." Cordy said  
  
"I know, huh?" Fred said.  
  
"I'm sorry this has come to pass." Gru said.  
  
"I'm a little confused." Angel said.  
  
"About what? What was unclear?" Fred asked.  
  
"Well, upstairs you said you thought Gunn was in danger." Cordy said.  
  
"He is!"  
  
"And you think that because...?"  
  
"He broke up with me!"  
  
"Oh."  
  
"But not really."  
  
"Oh. No?"  
  
"No!"  
  
"That is good. I am relieved." Gru said.  
  
"No this is worse. Much worse. I wish he had broken up with me."  
  
"Fred, are you sure he didn't? I mean, those things you said he said to you..." Cordy said.  
  
"I know I said he said those things to me, but he would never say those things to me."  
  
"Those things he said?"  
  
"Exactly! That's why I know he's in trouble."  
  
"Let me get this straight. You and Gunn aren't broken up?"  
  
Fred threw up her hands. "I guess!"  
  
Cordy got up to give Fred a hug. "Fred, honey."  
  
"Don't you see? He hurt me. And the only reason he'd do something like that is to protect me from something. And whatever it is, it's gotta be bad, because this hurts like hell."  
  
"Then I guess we better help him." Buffy said.  
  
"We are not losing another member of this family." Angel said.  
  
  
  
Cordy turned off the speakerphone when she heard Gunn's answering machine. "Still no answer at his place or on his cell phone."  
  
"That does not bode well." Gru said.  
  
"We're gonna have to split up." Angel said.  
  
"To cover more ground. That's a good plan. I agree." Gru said. Cordy smiled at Gru.  
  
"Buffy and I can go check out Gunn's old gang haunts, see if they've heard from him." "Or if they know of any old enemies he might have." Buffy said.  
  
"Exactly."  
  
"Hmm." Gru said.  
  
"You three go by Gunn's place, just to make sure."  
  
"Maybe we should report his truck as stolen." Cordy said.  
  
"That's not a terrible idea. Get the police involved in case none of this pans out."  
  
"We should leave Lorne a note, let him know what's going on." Fred said.  
  
"If none of us come up with anything, we regroup back here at midnight." Angel said.  
  
"And perhaps as we search we can leave these small rectangles behind." Gru said holding up a business card. "As did that creature that came by yesterday inquiring about Gunn."  
  
"Right. Good. What? Let me see that." Angel said.  
  
"Small rectangles with telephonic digits on it. So people can get in touch with us should they learn anything."  
  
"Someone came by here looking for Charles?" Fred asked.  
  
"Yesterday. Please remind me to give that rectangle to Gunn once we find him. I am confident we shall."  
  
"That guy worked for Jenoff." Angel said.  
  
"Jenoff?" Buffy asked.  
  
"The soul sucker."  
  
  
  
Gunn watched as the body of Jenoff's latest victim was dragged past him.  
  
"Charles Gunn, I'm impressed. Not a lot of guys walk through that door of their own free will. Not the second time anyway. She must be pretty special, this girl you're getting ready to give my merchandise to." Jenoff said.  
  
"I'm here to make good on my debt. You don't even talk about her. Once we're squared, you don't even think about her." Gunn said.  
  
"She was never part of the deal. Hold him."  
  
Gunn glared at the goon. "I'm not gonna run. But touch me, and you better. Let's just get this over with."  
  
Jenoff lifted his hand, preparing to stick his fingers into Gunn's eyes the way he did with the other guy, when the door to the casino floor burst open.  
  
"Gunn!" Angel called.  
  
Gunn spun around and Jenoff lowered his hand. Jenoff's guards go to intercept the group, but Angel, Buffy, Gru, and Cordy fight them off while making their way across the casino to where Gunn and Jenoff were standing.  
  
"Charles!" Fred yelled.  
  
"Fred!" Gunn yelled back.  
  
Gunn starts to go to her, but the Goon took a hold of him and Gunn stopped. The crowd in the casino milled around and began to close in around the four intruders even as the last guard goes down.  
  
"Angel." Buffy said.  
  
"I know." Angel answered.  
  
"We are surrounded." Gru stated.  
  
"I know."  
  
"We have to help Charles." Fred cried.  
  
"I KNOW."  
  
Angel grabbed a hold of yet another demon guard and put his ax against its throat.  
  
"Who does a guy gotta kill to get to talk to the boss around here, huh?"  
  
"I'm the boss." Jenoff said, walking towards them. "Mind telling me why you're disrupting my business?"  
  
"Actually it's you who's disrupting my business. You're about to deprive me of a very valuable employee. Charles Gunn there, he works for me."  
  
"A good business man always looks into the background of potential employees. Had you done that you might have learned that he is strictly short term material."  
  
"I'll make a deal with you. You release him, forget what he owes you, I'll let you live."  
  
"Thank you." Jenoff turned away. "Kill him."  
  
The crowd turned ugly.  
  
"Double or nothing." Angel called.  
  
Jenoff turned back as the crowd fell quiet. "You're offering me your soul?"  
  
"Chance to win it, anyway."  
  
"How stupid do I look to you? You're a vampire. I can smell it from here."  
  
"Take a bigger whiff. I'm a vampire with a soul."  
  
"Oh. You're THAT vampire."  
  
"I choose the game. I win, we walk out of here, Gunn's debt disappears. You win, you get us both."  
  
Jenoff nodded, beginning to chuckle.  
  
Angel and the rest of the group walked over and sat down at a table. Buffy stood behind Angel.  
  
"Brilliant stall tactic. You bought us some time. Now, what's the plan?" Buffy asked.  
  
Angel held up a deck of cards. "This is the plan."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Really. We're gonna win Gunn's soul back."  
  
"This is so wrong in so many ways. I mean, it's not money or a stuffed bunny Angel's playing for. It's my boyfriend." Fred said.  
  
"Fred, I understand you're nervous, but don't be. I've been around a long time, played a lot of cards, won a lot of bets." Angel said.  
  
"See, that's where we're different. I tend to get lost and lose things. And I can't lose Charles."  
  
Angel never took his eyes off Jenoff. "I'm not gonna lose."  
  
A Goon looked at Jennoff, "You worried about this?"  
  
"Like taking candy from a baby." Jenoff replied.  
  
"Angel, if we must rely on luck, I prefer the odds of my sword. We should fight our way out." Gru said.  
  
"I got to disagree, Gru. Fighting puts all of us at risk. My way's safer."  
  
"If you win! But if you lose your soul, won't you go evil and start killing everybody, including us? Am I wrong?" Fred asked.  
  
"Uh, not wrong in theory, but I gotta go with Ace on this one, sorry." Buffy said.  
  
Angel got up. "I'm gonna win. And if I lose..." he handed Buffy a stake. "You know what to do. Make it quick."  
  
"You know I will."  
  
All around the room people were placing bets.  
  
The goon leaned into Gunn. "Jenoff let's me have the bodies when he's done with them." Gunn watched as Angel and the others walked towards them and Angel sat down next to Jenoff.  
  
"One hand of cards. You win, this man walks free. I win, I keep his soul, and I get yours. Name your game. Omaha? Texas hold 'em? Seven card stud?" Jenoff said.  
  
"How about a simple cut of the deck? High card wins." Angel stated smugly.  
  
"Vampire not only got soul, he got guts."  
  
The dealer at the table set down a deck of cards and shuffled it.  
  
"Feeling lucky?"  
  
"After you."  
  
Jenoff looked at Angel for a moment then cut the deck and turned the top card over. A nine of clubs.  
  
Angel cut the deck, blew on his fingers and looked up at Gunn, who gave him a slight nod.  
  
Angel flipped the top card over.  
  
"A three?" Angel said.  
  
"A three?!" Gunn cried.  
  
Jenoff smacked his palm down on the table. "A three. You lose."  
  
Angel glanced at Buffy she kissed him as if he were going to lose his soul, then she lifted the stake and slammed it down on Jenoff's hand, pinning it to the table. Jenoff let out a scream of pain.  
  
"That quick enough?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Works for me, baby."  
  
Angel swung his ax around and beheaded Jenoff. The Casino owner's head bounced across the crap table as the crowd gasped in shock.  
  
Gunn rammed his elbow in the goon's face then knocked him back into the slot machines. Fred ran to him and he caught her in a hug.  
  
"Angel..." Gunn said.  
  
"It's over. No need to say thanks."  
  
"You're right. If killing him was that easy, I would have done it myself."  
  
Angel looked down as Jenoff's headless body sat up and a new head started to emerge from the remains of his neck, while letting out high shrieks.  
  
Angel looked around the casino and the demons and people staring at the screaming head on top of Jenoff's body.  
  
"Now we fight." Gru said.  
  
"Anybody else in here owe this guy?" Angel asked.  
  
One of the guards hurried over and began to pound on Jenoff. He was quickly joined by others in the crowd and Angel, Buffy, and the rest of the gang used the confusion to hurry out of the Casino.  
  
  
  
Back at the hotel, Angel and Buffy stood by Conner's crib. They stared at it for a long moment. Behind them, the door opened to the apartment and Cordy stepped in. Buffy and Angel ignored her as they stared at the crib. Then, to Cordy's amazement, they started to take the crib apart. Quietly, Cordy left the room, shutting the door behind her. 


	17. The Price

Chapter 17  
  
"I know Dawn. I'll come home when I can, but right now I have to stay here in LA." Buffy said to the phone.  
  
"Buffy, I don't think he's going to come back. If you guys haven't found a way to." Dawn started.  
  
"He's coming back!" Buffy snapped. "Don't ever think that Angel and I are going to give up on our son. We're gonna get him back."  
  
"Can I come back up since Holtz is gone?"  
  
"Later Dawn. Things have.gotten weird."  
  
"So? They always get weird Buffy. I miss you, we all miss you."  
  
"I know Dawn. I promise Angel and I will come back."  
  
"We.we put Conner's stuff in storage yesterday."  
  
"You what?"  
  
"Well, we thought since he. that it would be the best thing for everyone. We didn't want to, but we thought it would be better."  
  
Buffy was silent. She had wanted to be the one to take Conner's stuff down.  
  
"Buffy?"  
  
"I'm still here."  
  
"Are you mad?"  
  
"No. Not at you, or Willow, or Tara. You did the right thing. I've cried too much. You guys just helped me out. Thank you."  
  
"Buffy, can I come up and visit you this weekend?"  
  
"I can't let you Dawn. You have summer school and I want you studying with Willow."  
  
"Please?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Buffy, I know he's gone and he might come back someday, but it really is time to move on and get a life. You have Angel and you have all these friends who care about you and they are all worried about you. I have to go. I'm going over to Lizze's house. I love you Buffy."  
  
"Love you too Dawn. Bye."  
  
Buffy hung up the phone. She was sitting is Wesley's old office as the others were upstairs fixing Angel's apartment. Dawn's words echoed in Buffy's head. ".he's gone and he might come back someday, but it really is time to move on and get a life. You have Angel and all these friends who care about you and they are all worried about you." She knew Dawn was right, but something in her just wouldn't let her leave LA. Something in her just knew that Conner was coming back to her and Angel.  
  
There was a knock on the door and Lorne walked in.  
  
"Hey there Blondie."  
  
"Hey Lorne."  
  
"Why aren't you upstairs with your hubby and friends?"  
  
"I was talking to my sister."  
  
"Oh. Can I ask you something?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
"Why did you send her back to Sunnydale?"  
  
"It was getting way to.heavy for her around here for her. I didn't want her hurt," Buffy looked down. "or worse."  
  
"I know that it hurts. Although I can't really imagine what exactly it is you and Angel are going through, but I can see it in your eyes."  
  
"I miss him Lorne."  
  
Lorne walked over to where she was sitting and knelt down. "I know you do. I hate to see you like this. When I first met you, I saw this beautiful, vibrant woman that was full of life and love. Then I found out your story. You know, the whole 'died twice, lost love, your mother died, you were brought back from heaven story? And so you know what? Despite it all, you were that beautiful, vibrant woman. I couldn't believe it. Now I know that woman is in there somewhere, and I also know that she's going to come back."  
  
Buffy cracked a little smile and looked down as if she were ashamed that she had just smiled.  
  
"Hey! Don't do that. Bring that smile back."  
  
"It feels like I'm betraying him when I smile."  
  
"You're not. If Conner could talk and if he were here right now, he'd say, 'Mom, bring that sparkling smile back. You're too gorgeous to hide it.' You know how I know?"  
  
"How?"  
  
"Because, he's there, in that smile. That's what I saw in that smile. He's there too." Lorne pointed to her heart. "You and Angel made that precious little ball of cuteness. So if you look at it this way: Conner isn't really gone. He's still here, and he'll always be here." Lorne got up and walked to the door, but before he walked out, he turned back and looked at her. "Just remember that and you can make it through anything." Then he walked out.  
  
Buffy smiled a little and got up. She went out to thank Lorne, but he was gone, the front door was swinging closed. Without another thought, she headed upstairs to help out Angel and her friends.  
  
  
  
Angel ran his hand over a crack in the wall of his apartment.  
  
"Angel. You and I have fought side by side on more than one occasion, fellow warriors, shoulder to shoulder. By now my council must surely hold weight. So I beseech you to heed my words." Gru said.  
  
"Okay." Angel answered.  
  
"Pomegranate Mist is the wrong color for this room."  
  
Angel sighed then turned to face Gru. "What?"  
  
"We were just thinking, well, actually I was thinking and Gru agreed, that well, since you have to repaint the room anyway, maybe you'd like a change, you know, for a change." Fred said.  
  
"Gru agreed?" Angel asked.  
  
"Don't mock. He actually has good color sense." Cordy spoke up.  
  
Gru held up sample color cards. "Summer splendor is a hue more worthy of a champion. Or," He turned to another card, "or perhaps this unique one called purpla."  
  
"Purple. Yet you have no problems pronouncing pomegranate." Angel said.  
  
"It was my mother's name."  
  
"What are the odds?" Gunn walked buy carrying a crisped piece of furniture. "Hey, hang on. Where, where are you going with that?"  
  
"I'm tossing it." Gunn answered.  
  
"It's an antique."  
  
"It's a charcoaled briquette."  
  
"We're not throwing it out. And the wall color, it stays, too. Look guys, I appreciate everybody's help. I just want everything back to the way it was or close to it."  
  
"Not gonna be, you know. Unless we pay for real dishonest to goodness over priced contractors those cracks are always gonna be there." Cordy said.  
  
"Let them."  
  
"Sure! Maybe we can even start dumping our trash up here."  
  
Angel saw a snow globe with a bunny inside in one of the buckets and picked it up.  
  
"The old 'gives the place character' philosophy. Guess that served you pretty well, living in rotted out mansions and." Cordy trailed off as she saw Angel staring at the snow floating down inside the globe.  
  
"I don't know why I bought this for him. A whim, I guess. Thought he'd like to look at it. Snow." He lowered the globe. "It does never snow in southern California."  
  
"It did once." Buffy said coming into the room.  
  
"I remember."  
  
"You should, that was a fun night."  
  
"Yeah, it sure was." Buffy smiled at him. "What's up, you're.happy?"  
  
"Yeah. I'm happy because my husband is here, in the bedroom, and we haven't."  
  
Buffy trailed off as she saw that everyone was watching them and they broke apart from the position they had been in.  
  
"Hey, you know, we shouldn't be wasting time fixing up my place when we got work to do." Angel said quickly.  
  
"What work?" Gunn asked.  
  
"Our jobs, the business." He and Buffy started for the door. "We're neglecting our cases."  
  
"Um, Angel? We don't have any cases." Buffy and Angel stopped and turned, Angel still holding the globe. "We haven't had a call in over a week." Fred said.  
  
"Really? Well, uh, somebody ought to be downstairs in case a walk-in should, walk in. Because uh." He opened the door and he and Buffy started to leave, "we get those sometimes."  
  
"Never on Sundays." Cordy said under her breath.  
  
Angel shut the door and he and Buffy headed down to the stair well. As soon as they got to the door that led to the hallway with the main staircase, he turned to Buffy and looked at her.  
  
"Are you ok?" he asked.  
  
"Yes, I'm fine."  
  
"How's, um, Dawn?" Angel asked a little breathy as Buffy ran her hand up his shirt.  
  
"She's just fine." Buffy whispered into his neck.  
  
"That's good. Are you sure you're fine? Not, you know," Angel cleared his throat, "possessed?"  
  
"Nope." Buffy kissed his neck. She knew how much he couldn't resist her when she did that. "I'm Buffy."  
  
Angel started to melt. He was ready to slam Buffy down on the floor and take her right there, but he had practice in this sort of torture and he gently grabbed her shoulders and pushed her back as tenderly as he could. She whimpered a little bit, and then looked up at him.  
  
"Buffy, what is going on with you?"  
  
"Lorne and I talked. He said that I should try to bring back the 'beautiful, vibrant woman' back out in the open. You can do that for me."  
  
"Yeah, I know I can, but Lorne didn't make you go from sad, almost depressed Buffy to happy, ready-to-pin-her-husband Buffy. Something else hit a nerve with you. Sit down." Angel led her into one of the rooms and sat her on the bed, sitting himself in a chair that faced her. He didn't want to sit on the bed with her, because then he wouldn't resist her. "Talk to me."  
  
"Dawn said I need to get a life." Buffy said.  
  
"That's not it."  
  
"She said that I have friends that love me and are worried about me?"  
  
"Not even."  
  
"Lorne said that Conner was always with us and that he'll never leave."  
  
"Now we're getting to the problem. Go on."  
  
"He said he saw it when I smiled. He saw the same smile that he saw on Conner, on me."  
  
"Lorne is a smart guy. I've always seen it. There's more to this though isn't there?"  
  
Buffy dropped everything and sagged a little. She looked up into Angel's eyes and he could see the pain there. "Dawn, Willow, and Tara took down Conner's room and put it all in storage."  
  
"Oh." Angel said, face dropping at the news.  
  
"They figured that it would be best for us. That it would only cause more pain for us if we came back and saw it."  
  
Angel and Buffy were quiet. Both trying to process the news.  
  
  
  
The door to the Hyperion opened and a man in his middle ages walked in.  
  
"Hello? Angel Investigations?"  
  
He looked around the deserted lobby, seeing that he is standing just inside a pentagram. He backed out of it and walked around it to the reception counter.  
  
"Hey! Anybody here? Hey! Hello?!"  
  
He didn't see the clear, ghost-shrimp-like creature skitter across the counter.  
  
"Look, unless you want me to take my business elsewhere. Fine. Probably couldn't find my dog anyway."  
  
As he turned to go, the ghost-shrimp suddenly jumped up and clamped onto his face, then forced its way into his mouth, slithering down his throat.  
  
  
  
Angel started to say something, but his ears "perked" up and he stood up.  
  
"What, what is it?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Someone's in the lobby." Angel said as he started out the door.  
  
Buffy followed him and they hurried down the stairs.  
  
"Yes! Hi. I hope that you weren't ah. Can I help you?" Angel asked.  
  
The man turned around to face Angel. "What was that?"  
  
"I was just saying if, if you're looking for Angel Investigations. I'm, I'm he. Him. Angel. And you are?"  
  
The guy looked a bit dazed. "I uh, I need."  
  
"Don't be embarrassed. Whatever your problems are, I'm here to listen. And, you know, help, of course."  
  
"We have to go."  
  
He turned and started to walk out.  
  
"Huh? What?"  
  
The guy walked around the pentagram and towards the exit.  
  
"Is something wrong? Oh, the pentagram. Don't worry about that. That's, that's an old case. It's done. I'm here to totally give you my," The door closed behind the man, "full attention."  
  
Angel and Buffy stood and stared at the closed doors.  
  
Cordy walked down the stairs.  
  
"Hey, when did we get the statues for the lobby? Oh, it's just you two."  
  
"Can we do something about the stain? It just scared off a client. At least I think he was a client. The guy barely said two words before he ran out of here."  
  
"Well, you know, some people can be pretty closed mouthed. We've never really talked about everything that happened while I was away."  
  
Angel and Buffy walked away from her. "You know the gist of it." Buffy replied.  
  
Cordy followed. "Yeah. Sure. I've got loads of gist. But what I don't got is the specifics. Specifically about that little five pointed doodad decorating our lobby and the voodoo that you dood, did over it."  
  
"Cordy!" Angel said.  
  
"I know you guys don't wanna talk about it, but you don't mess with dark magicks and expect to walk away from it like it doesn't matter."  
  
Angel set the snow globe down on Wes' old desk. "It doesn't matter. It was a waste of time."  
  
"Still. I should probably know what kind of spell it was. You know there is almost always some cosmic price to using primordial powers. There could be repercussions. And you know the one person who could help us with that isn't around anymore."  
  
Angel stopped fiddling with the files on the desk and looked at her, then started to walk out of the office.  
  
"Not going there. I'm just saying. You can run away, avoid talking about this, but you know as well as I do that stuff we do in the past usually comes back to bite us in our respective 'assi' and what you did."  
  
"Okay. So maybe we weren't thinking too clearly. I mean, I was drunk for a while. Drunk on my own son's blood, slipped into my food by the good folks at Wolfram and Hart. And Buffy was a little upset that she had finally had her dreams come true only to be squashed by someone from MY past that came and took her son away. And our heads were a little clouded with rage over a trusted friend stealing our child from us." He threw up his hands and dropped down to sit on the stairs next to Buffy. "Damn it, Cordelia, you got me talking about this."  
  
Angel buried his face in his hands. Buffy wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her head on his slumped shoulder. "Probably just needed to vent." Buffy whispered.  
  
Cordy went to sit beside Angel as he raised his head from his hands, Buffy still holding to his waist.  
  
"Why didn't you call me?" Cordy asked.  
  
"We didn't want to mess up your vacation. We just thought one of us should be happy." Angel sighed.  
  
"But I could have helped. I could have done something."  
  
"There is nothing you could have."  
  
"How do you know? What makes you so sure? I've got a hotline to the freaking Powers, buster. I could've gotten a vision, or, or something to warn us. Oh, plus, I've got demon in me now." She jumped up and faced Buffy and Angel. "So, maybe, maybe there is some untapped power that could have help find Connor before, you know, before." Cordy stopped with a sigh.  
  
"You needed to vent?" Buffy asked.  
  
"I, I should have been here for you guys!"  
  
"You, you were. I mean, you are. You're always." He stood up shifting Buffy to his hand as she stood too. "Look, look, I'm just, we're just trying to move on like everyone's telling us to. We're just trying to not be so into our problems. Just focus on something else for a while. You know?"  
  
Cordy said after a beat, "Sure. Yeah. I, I get that. But next time you call me."  
  
Buffy and Angel nodded slightly then walked past her. "Right." Angel stopped and turned back. "Oh, there is something you can do for me. Find me a case to work on. Please."  
  
"Hey, I know something you could work on!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"You two trying to have a little fun together."  
  
Buffy and Angel smiled and went into the kitchen. 


	18. The Price part 2

Chapter 18  
  
Angel was sitting behind his desk, looking through some files. The snow globe was sitting on the table in front of him. Buffy sat in the chair across the desk from him, going through a few files as well.  
  
Fred and Gunn looked in on them through the opening from the lobby.  
  
"It's funny. Sad, actually. I keep expecting to find... It's weird, seeing Angel sitting behind that desk." Fred said.  
  
"It was his when I got here. It seems right that it's his again." Gunn replied.  
  
"Yeah, but things have cooled down a little since. I'm just saying, maybe it's time. Look, he doesn't have to forgive Wesley."  
  
"I'm glad you think so, 'cause not happening."  
  
"No. Right. They shouldn't. But isn't there some way to I don't know, come back from this?"  
  
"Not unless Wes comes back with that baby under his arm. And even then, Angel 'd probably kill him on principle."  
  
"You don't really think that."  
  
"He took their son. Probably best we never mention the guy's name again."  
  
Gunn walked off and Fred turned back to watching Angel and Buffy.  
  
Cordy and Gru were scrubbing at the pentagram drawn on the floor of the lobby.  
  
"Ah, I give up. I've tried soaking it out. I've tried scrubbing it out. No question, we've got ring around the lobby. I say we toss in the towel and buy a big-ass throw rug. Who's with me?" Cordy said.  
  
"That honor is mine, princess." Gru said.  
  
Gru walked over and leaned down and to give Cordy a quick kiss.  
  
Cordy got up. "Gru, honey, will you do me a favor and dump out this bucket?" Gru picked up the bucket. "Thanks."  
  
"Cordelia?" Fred asked, turning to Cordy.  
  
Cordy watched Gru leave. "He is such a sweetie. So loyal and loving like a puppy dog."  
  
"Cordy..."  
  
"I know that didn't sound very good, but he is. A puppy dog. A sexy, well- built, go-all-night puppy dog. Okay, that sounded worse."  
  
"Cor..."  
  
"No. You want me to say something to Buffy and Angel about Wesley. Sorry. Can't. Won't."  
  
"Why? Why can't won't you? You've known them both longer than anybody. Angel would listen to you."  
  
Cordy straightened up from gathering up the cleaning supplies. "Probably. But they don't wanna hear it, which is why I'm not gonna burden them."  
  
"Look. Whatever he did, he's Wesley. You care about him. I know. Can you imagine how much pain he's in? How horrible he must be feeling?"  
  
Cordy, not noticing that Gru was coming back with the empty bucket, said, "Buffy and Angel's feelings are the only ones I care about. They're my priority. I got dosed with demon DNA for Angel. I'm semi-demon and I still don't know what that means."  
  
In the background, unnoticed, Gru set down the empty bucket and slowly turned to leave.  
  
"Apart form the random float-iness and seizure less visions, which is keen, sometimes it's hard to tell when I'm. Angel?"  
  
Cordy saw Angel getting flung across the lobby.  
  
Angel was leaning on he window frame of the office window with Buffy in front of him, leaning back and lying on his broad chest. "What's going on?"  
  
Lorne entered the Hyperion. "Oh, I tell you what's going on. Big bru-ha-ha at the juice bar across the street. Only light on the ha-ha. Some guy over there is cracking up."  
  
The man that had been at the Hyperion earlier was at the bar, his skin now a pale gray and showing big cracks in it. He grabbed a hold of the one of the attendants.  
  
"Here, get a save ticket, just don't hurt me..." the attendant said.  
  
The guy tossed the kid on the floor and started to drink the juice right out of the blender. The last remaining customers hurried out just as Angel, Buffy and the others walked in.  
  
"One minute you're standing there all shocked looking, then whammo! You're thrown across the..." Cordy was saying.  
  
"Cordy, can we talk about it later? I'm working here."  
  
The attendant picked himself back up and was running past Angel and Buffy.  
  
"Look out! The dude's got Ebola or something." The attendant said.  
  
"Is Ebola a weapon forged in magic?" Gru asked.  
  
"No, forged in monkey poo." Lorne answered  
  
"Okay, sir, you wanna just put down the super size or..." Angel trailed off as the guy lowered the blender and turned around, spraying the wall with juice in the process.  
  
"I know you." Buffy said.  
  
The guy went back to gulping the juice remaining in the blender.  
  
"You do?" Gunn asked.  
  
"This is the guy that came to the office this morning." Angel informed.  
  
"You didn't mention he was a mummy, man."  
  
"He's not. I mean, he wasn't. He's..."  
  
Fred picked up the wallet left lying on the counter. "Phillip J. Spivey from Ingelwood according to his license."  
  
"Mr. Spivey? Phil? Hi. Remember me? We're just gonna take a walk to my office across the street and ah, and figure out what's what. Is that okay with you?" Angel asked, slowly inching forward towards Phil.  
  
"We're thirsty!" Phil cried.  
  
"I take that as a no."  
  
Phil picked up the base of the blender to brain Angel with it, but Buffy stepped up and quickly knocked him out giving Phil a disgusted look, then turned to the others with the same face.  
  
"His skin was icky feeling." Buffy said.  
  
"Okay, people, looks like we got a case." Angel said.  
  
Gru carried Phil's unconscious body as everyone tramped back into the Hyperion.  
  
"Ah, lets get him on the couch." Angel said.  
  
Gru put Phil down on the couch.  
  
"Oh my god. Look at his face." Fred said.  
  
Angel pulled her back away from Phil. "Yeah. Fred, do we, do we have any water in the fridge?"  
  
"In bottles I think."  
  
"We, we're gonna need them."  
  
"And some lip balm wouldn't hurt either, kitten." Lorne said.  
  
"Angel?" Buffy asked, stepping up to him.  
  
"We." Angel said quietly.  
  
"Glad you're having fun with this." Gunn said behind them.  
  
"No. 'We,' he kept saying we. This morning it's we have to go. Now it's we're thirsty."  
  
"Okay, so he's pretentious." Buffy said.  
  
"Angel, we need to talk about my vision." Cordy piped up.  
  
Angel looked through Phil's wallet. "Well, it can wait."  
  
"No. It can't. You think the Powers beam me pretty pictures purely for my amusement? They tell me when someone's in danger and that someone is you!"  
  
"Oh, gee. I'm in danger. What else is new? Look, I wanna deal with somebody else's problem for a change. I wanna deal with Mr. Phillip Spivey of Inglewood who came to us this morning for help. He's the one we should be concerned with, not me! This has nothing to do with me!"  
  
Lorne and Fred came back carrying some bottled water. Fred's eyes went wide and she let out a gasp.  
  
Phil was standing next to the couch pointing straight at Angel and Buffy. "You! This is all happening because of you two! This is all your fault."  
  
With that, Phil toppled forward, his body shattering to pieces as it hit the floor.  
  
"Our fault?" Angel asked.  
  
"That's what the sandman said." Buffy answered.  
  
"How is this our fault? We were just trying to help him. What'd he go and say that for?"  
  
"Uh, he didn't. That did." Lorne said.  
  
Lorne pointed at the body and as something moved under its jacket, then the ghost shrimp skittered out of Phil's collar. Cordy lets out a scream and jumped up to sit on the lobby counter in an effort to get out of its way as it skittered across the floor.  
  
"Okay. That was a thing." Gunn said.  
  
"A big, ugly slug thing." Buffy said staring after the thing.  
  
"Where did it go?" Cordy squeaked.  
  
"It has vanished. Just like the glass eels in Scrag swamp in Uxemburg. I'm just making an observation." Gru said.  
  
"So, what the hell was it?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Don't look at me. I don't know what it is or what it has to do with us." Angel said, looking at Buffy in bewilderment.  
  
"Um, Angel?"  
  
Angel looked down where Buffy was looking and noticed that Phil landed right in the middle of the faded pentagram.  
  
Angel walked over to the weapons cabinet and handed out swords.  
  
"I'm not really the hunter type. Can't I just come along for moral support?" Lorne asked.  
  
"Hotel shut tight." Cordy said.  
  
"Good. I don't want anyone else getting infected."  
  
Gru reached past Angel and picked an ax from the cabinet. "This weapon should serve me better."  
  
"Ah, a little big for our purpose, don't you think?" Angel asked.  
  
"I've had no complaints."  
  
"Yeah, great. Okay, Cordy, you and Gru start with the third floor. Make a sweep, work your way down."  
  
"Hey, exactly how do we know that slicing and dicing is going to do the trick on Mr. Sluggo, here?" Lorne asked.  
  
"We don't. That's why Fred's gonna hit the books and see what we're dealing with."  
  
Fred looked up from sucking up Phil's remains with the dust buster. "I am? Angel, I, I don't even know where to begin to look."  
  
"Start with Thaumogenisis."  
  
"Thaumo..?"  
  
"Creatures manifested as byproduct of using of dark magic."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"I'll stay with her. Keep watch." Gunn said.  
  
"Watch close, this thing's hard to see."  
  
"This thing drank every speck of moisture out of a man's body. Well, I'm just saying, don't you think we should wait to see what Fred finds out before we go around chasing after it?" Cordy asked.  
  
"The longer we wait the sooner that thing finds a way out of here and into the world. I'm not gonna let that happen. Lets go." Angel said.  
  
  
  
Lorne followed Buffy and Angel down some stairs.  
  
"I don't wanna hear it." Angel said.  
  
"I didn't say anything." Lorne said.  
  
"Let's keep it that way."  
  
"Well, uh, was I wrong?"  
  
"Lorne, it's our mess. We're cleaning it up. What more do you want?"  
  
"Hey, I warned you Angel-face, you mess with powers of darkness..."  
  
"There's a price to pay. I know there's always a price. The question is: is it one worth paying?"  
  
"So, was this?"  
  
"No. That spell we did was for nothing. I didn't find our son, so now he's gone forever. So, you ask me, was it worth it? Would I do it again? In a heartbeat, because he was my son."  
  
They heard some slurping noises and Angel led the way into one of the hotel rooms. He turned on the light as they made their way across it to another door. Angel slowly pushed it open to reveal one of the ghost shrimps hanging on the side of an open toilet tank, slurping up the water in the tank.  
  
The thing let out a squeak and jumped towards them. Lorne raised his sword to strike at it. He breaks the light bulb in the lamp hanging above him, plunging the room into darkness. Angel grabbed a hold of Lorne's arm.  
  
"Angel, what are you..." Lorne started.  
  
Buffy threw her dagger, nailing the glowing worm thing to the floor.  
  
"Well, go team!" Lorne said.  
  
They crouched closer and watched the thing's struggles cease.  
  
"Now that wasn't so..." Lorne started.  
  
Suddenly the thing streaked away as if the dagger no longer pinned it.  
  
  
  
Cordy and Gru were walking down one of the hallways in the Hyperion.  
  
"Poor Buffy and Angel. It's eating at them." Cordy said.  
  
"Having another vision, princess?" Gru asked.  
  
"What? No. Knowing it was the spell they performed trying to find Conner that made this, whatever it is, that we're hunting. Knowing that it caused a man's death."  
  
"They are your priority."  
  
"What?"  
  
"You said earlier that Buffy and Angel's feelings were your only concern. They were all that mattered."  
  
Cordy stopped and turned to face Gru. "Oh. Oh, no, Gruey, I, I meant 'work' priority. Work. You see, you, you're my, other stuff priority. You get that, right?"  
  
Gru slowly lifted his ax.  
  
"Gru, honey. We can talk about this."  
  
"Do not move."  
  
Cordy heard the liquid skittering of one of the slug-things behind her and spun around. She slashed at the wall. She missed the thing completely and it skittered away into a mail slot in the wall.  
  
"It's going down. Come on." Cordy said.  
  
"I instructed you not to move."  
  
"Well, gee, forgive me for saving my own life."  
  
They hurried down the hall together.  
  
"I would not let harm come to you." Gru said.  
  
They opened a door and ran into Angel, Buffy, and Lorne coming the other way.  
  
Angel and Cordy said together, "We saw it! You saw it?!" 


	19. The Price part 3

Chapter 19  
  
"There's more than one?" Gunn asked.  
  
"At least two, but we should probably assume there are more." Buffy said.  
  
"Ah, do we have to?" Lorne asked.  
  
"But at least we have one advantage."  
  
"What? They glow in the dark? How is that gonna help unless we shut off all the lights in the. holy crap you're not serious."  
  
Angel inspected the flashlight he'd pulled out of one of the cabinets in his office.  
  
"Those things are hard enough to kill as it is. Buffy speared one and it was strong enough to attack us and escape." Angel handed out flashlights. "This makes them easier to find, I'd say we take the chance."  
  
"All the lights?" Fred asked.  
  
Angel held out a gas lantern to Fred. "Here, take this. Lock yourself in the office. We still need answers, Fred."  
  
"Great."  
  
"Boy, this just keeps getting funner and funner." Gunn said.  
  
"I'm glad to see that you're enjoying yourself," Angel held out a flashlight to Gunn, "because somebody's got to go down in the basement and shut off the power."  
  
"No, no, no, no, no, no, no..."  
  
"Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes." Buffy said. "Angel and I will go with you."  
  
"We will?" Angel asked.  
  
"Yup."  
  
Buffy and Angel followed Gunn down into the basement, while Cordy, Gru, and Lorne remained on the steps.  
  
There was a little squeaking noise and Gunn spun around as Angel stabbed his sword into the junk littering the floor.  
  
"Rat." Buffy said.  
  
"Oh. Rat." Gunn said.  
  
Gunn continued on.  
  
"Everything okay down there?" Cordy called.  
  
Gunn opened the cabinet holding the main disconnect. "Oh, yeah. It's a party. Here is the icing on the cake." He pulled down the lever and all the lights around the Hyperion went out.  
  
Fred looked up from the book she is working on and pulled the lit lantern a little closer to her. She slowly pulled off her glasses as a small wet, squishy sound warns her that she wasn't alone. She turned slowly in her chair and let out a scream as one of the creatures jumped onto her face, forcing its way into her mouth and slithering down her throat.  
  
The others walked down a deserted hallway.  
  
"Uh, where are we?" Lorne asked.  
  
"South wing. We haven't found a use for it yet, so we just keep it closed up." Angel replied.  
  
"Did you hear something?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Sorry, Blondie, all I'm picking up is the loud, erratic thumping of the heart in my mouth." Lorne said.  
  
"No, it sounds like... It almost sounds like..."  
  
"Birds." Angel filled in.  
  
They came up to a set of double doors chained shut and padlocked.  
  
"Do you even have a key for this?" Cordy asked.  
  
Buffy and Angel looked at each other then turning to the doors, kicked them off their hinges.  
  
Fred was sitting hunched up in her chair behind the desk. There is a knock on the door.  
  
"Fred, it's me. Open up." Gunn called.  
  
Fred got up and let him in, then went back to sit in her chair, without looking at Gunn.  
  
"Sorry it took me so long to get back. I took a quick look around to make sure no slimies were lurking. We're good." He noticed Fred hunched up on the desk. "How're you holding up? You're okay?"  
  
"Scared. Very scared."  
  
"I know. It's gonna be okay." He stroked her hair. "We just have to keep it together. Watch each other's backs." Gunn sat down across from her. "You know, when this is over, I think you and me should go away some place, like Cordy and Gru got to do. Maybe Baja. Little sun, sand, I think we deserve it."  
  
"You have to get out of here."  
  
"That's what I'm saying. And we will."  
  
Fred stared at the snow globe in her hand.  
  
"Soon as we kill these creatures, I'll talk to Angel. Maybe he'll..." Gunn trailed off as Fred broke the glass globe and started to gulp down the water inside it. "Fred? Oh, no."  
  
"We're thirsty."  
  
The others made their way across the dark ballroom, overturning tables as they went.  
  
"Ugh! Where is that sound coming from?" Cordy asked.  
  
"Somewhere in this room definitely." Angel said.  
  
"Oh, man! This space is one part 'hum' and two parts 'dinger!' Ever think of turning it into a nightclub?" Angel turned to look at Lorne. "Eh, I'm missing the life. Sue me." Lorne said.  
  
A door opened and Gunn hurried in with Fred, who was gulping down water from a bottle.  
  
"Gunn!" Buffy said.  
  
"We have a serious problem." Gunn said, ushering Fred to the group.  
  
"Oh, no! Fred!"  
  
"We got to get her help and we got to get it fast."  
  
"Fred, can you hear me?" Angel asked.  
  
"It's no good. That thing is jamming her brain. I can't reach her." Gunn informed.  
  
Fred gasped, "Angel?"  
  
"Fred." Angel answered.  
  
"I feel it. It needs... It's thirst..." She picked up the water bottle. "Oh, god, I'm so thirsty."  
  
"Hang on, baby. We're gonna get you to a hospital." Gunn said.  
  
"No, Charles! We... No. It, it wants that. To, to escape, spread. You, you can't let it. Don't let us, it! It will kill." Fred looked at Buffy and Angel. "Oh, it really doesn't like you guys."  
  
"The feeling's mutual." Buffy and Angel said together.  
  
"That's it. Come on." Gunn said as he helped Fred to her feet.  
  
"What are you doing?" Angel asked.  
  
"Getting her out of here."  
  
"After what she said?" Buffy asked.  
  
"I don't give a damn what she said. For all I know it's that thing inside her calling the shots."  
  
"Hey! You can't do this." Angel said, stepping in front of Gunn.  
  
"Get out of my way, Angel."  
  
"Think about this. How is she gonna feel if taking her out of here causes more people to die?"  
  
"She? Or you?"  
  
"Me?"  
  
"All this is happening because of you, what you and Buffy did. This is your fault. Messing with scary-ass mojo no sane people should be messing with."  
  
"We did what we had to do." Buffy said coming up next to Angel.  
  
"You did what you wanted to get what you wanted. The hell with the consequences."  
  
"Our son..."  
  
"Is dead! Fred is not!"  
  
"Hey, hey, hey. We have to stick together." Cordy said.  
  
"Yeah? Where does it say that?" Gunn asked.  
  
"Here! The sounds, they come from under." Gru said, trying to break the tension a little.  
  
Gru started to hack at the floor as the others congregated around him and the hole he was creating. Angel started to help him widen the hole using his sword.  
  
They all leaned over the hole and saw a hundred of those slug-like things swimming in the water below the floor.  
  
"Oh my god. We have a pool?" Cordy asked.  
  
Some of the things jumped up out of the hole onto the floor and everyone backed away from it.  
  
"Run! Move!" Angel and Buffy yelled.  
  
They hurried down a short hall and through another set of doors into the hotel kitchen. Buffy and Angel slammed the doors shut just as some of the creatures launched themselves at the glass windows in the doors.  
  
The others opened another set off doors only to find the floor outside littered with more of the creatures.  
  
"They're all over." Cordy called.  
  
More of the things splatted themselves against the windows in those doors as Lorne locked them shut in their faces.  
  
"No more running! Too hot. Too hot." Fred said.  
  
"Turn on the ovens!" Angel called.  
  
"What, we're gonna cook them?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Cook the air, dry it out. Make it so uncomfortable for them, they won't want in."  
  
Fred screamed as gas flames leaped up from all of the burners.  
  
"Now that's what I call uncomfortable." Lorne said.  
  
"Charles! Where is Charles!" Fred cried.  
  
"What?" Buffy and Angel asked, looking around.  
  
"He's gone!"  
  
  
  
Fred sat in the kitchen between Lorne and Cordy, guzzling water.  
  
"Angel, there are too many to fight our way out." Buffy said, holding tightly to Angel's hand.  
  
"I know." Angel said as they walked over to Fred. Angel looked at Fred then took the water bottle away from her.  
  
"No! Need water!" Fred yelled.  
  
"Angel!" Cordy said.  
  
"Go easy!" Lorne interjected  
  
Angel pushed Fred up against a pillar, and held the water out of her reach. "I want to talk to that thing inside of you now. I wanna know what you are."  
  
"We're thirsty." Fred slash slug thing said.  
  
"Work with me, Fred. Make it answer me. What do you want here?"  
  
"To live. To live. To drink," She let out a gasping laugh, "and be merry. It hurts us. We have to get out."  
  
The pipes overhead started to rattle.  
  
"It sounds more like they want in." Buffy said.  
  
"We have to flee. It brings pain. Such pain." Fred said.  
  
"It? What happened to we? What's with the pronoun switcheroo?" Lorne asked.  
  
"What are you fleeing from?" Buffy asked calmly.  
  
"The bringer of torment, agony, death. The destroyer."  
  
"Oh. That is just not the name you wanna hear." Cordy said.  
  
"Why is this destroyer after you?" Buffy ignored Cordy.  
  
"It's not. It's coming after you and Angel." Fred said.  
  
Angel held the water further away.  
  
"No. I need more."  
  
"I need more. Tell me where you come from." Angel said as he started to pour the water on the floor and Fred started to screech and claw at him.  
  
"Fred!"  
  
"You're gonna die so horribly." Fred gasped as cracks appeared on her face. "Oh, god. Help me!"  
  
"Lorne, take her. Gru, shut off the ovens, Cordy, the stoves."  
  
"Angel, why?!" Cordy asked.  
  
"Hurry! You and the others get Fred to the hospital."  
  
They shut off the stoves while Angel opened the tap of every faucet in the place, letting water pour out.  
  
"I thought we talked about that. Infecting the world and all?" Cordy asked.  
  
"We don't have a choice. They can keep her hydrated there. Hopefully long enough to come up with a cure."  
  
"We're surrounded! How are we to get past?" Gru asked.  
  
"We'll keep them occupied. Slow 'em down." Angel said looking to Buffy.  
  
"How do you expect to do that?" Cordy asked.  
  
"By giving them what they want." The sinks started to overflow. "Gru, damsel in distress. You know what to do."  
  
"Angel!"  
  
"Save Fred. Please!"  
  
Gru picked Fred up and Cordy lighted the way for him and Lorne towards the doors.  
  
"Now!" Angel cried. Buffy and Angel kicked the door to the ballroom open and the creatures skittered in.  
  
Lorne opened the doors at the opposite end of the kitchen and walked out as more creatures skittered past his feet to reach the water in the kitchen. Gru makes to follow, but then saw Cordy turning back. He hesitated for a moment.  
  
"Cordy, I told you to get out of here!" Angel said.  
  
Gru watched Cordy join Buffy and Angel in slashing at the creatures around them. He looked down at Fred, then turned and headed out after Lorne.  
  
Gru carried Fred into the lobby with Lorne lighting his way just as Gunn walked in.  
  
"Put my girl down." Gunn said.  
  
"Gunn! Where..." Lorne started.  
  
"News updates later. Just lay her down."  
  
Gru put her down on the stairs. "She requires a healer."  
  
"No, she requires this." Gunn pulled out a bottle of booze. "Hold her down. Do it!" Then to Fred, "Come here, baby. Come here. Come here. Drink. Drink, drink. Drink." Gunn held the bottle to her lips and Fred started to gulp it down, only to push it away, gasping for breath. Buffy, Cordy, and Angel were slashing at the glowworms on the kitchen floor around them.  
  
"Angel! Incoming. Four o'clock." Buffy called.  
  
Angel slashed at the creature. Another one flew through the air, landing on Buffy's up stretched hand.  
  
"Angel."  
  
Gunn was forcing Fred to drink more booze while Gru and Lorne held her.  
  
"Come on, baby, drink." Gunn said.  
  
Fred pulled back and started to choke and cough, finally spitting out the slug. Gru stabbed it before it could skitter more than a few feet. Gunn sat down beside Fred.  
  
Cordy was holding onto a slug, keeping it as far away from her as she could as it flailed at her arm. A bright white light started to illuminate her from the inside.  
  
"Angel..." Cordy started.  
  
Buffy and Angel slowly took a step back away from her, staring.  
  
"What's happening to me?" Cordy cried.  
  
Cordy slowly lowered the bug in her hand, staring at Buffy and Angel as the glow emanating from her became brighter and brighter. A wind started to howl and the light shot out from Cordy, obliterating everything with its brightness.  
  
Lorne, Fred, Gunn, and Gru flinched as a pulse of white light washed over them, then the whole place went dark again.  
  
Lorne stood in the lobby. He switched out his flashlight as the lights came back on. "Okay, unless anyone else has something to say, can I be the first to say: what the hell was that?" Buffy, Angel, and Cordy came out the basement door behind him.  
  
"Cordelia. That was Cordelia." Buffy said.  
  
"You are truly a goddess." Gru said.  
  
Cordy hugged him. "Well, demoness anyway. Beats horns and a tail."  
  
"Hey! I'm standing right here!" Lorne said.  
  
Angel saw Gunn helping Fred to lie down on the couch. "Is she okay?"  
  
"Yeah. I, ah, got this idea. Alcohol dehydrates the body, gets the slug out." Gunn said.  
  
Angel just stood there and looked at Gunn, crossing his arms.  
  
"Okay. So I took off when those things started coming out of the floor. It's not like I was running out on you. I was..." Angel glanced down at Fred. "Look, someone I care about was dying. I couldn't just sit around and debate strategy. I saw an opportunity to, to get some kind of help." Angel just looked at him. "Look, I did what I had to do, and if you don't get that..." Gunn saw Buffy walking up the stairs to get something at the top. "Yeah, I guess you do."  
  
"So, are we good?" Angel asked.  
  
Gunn gave them a slight nod.  
  
"Good? We're not good! Is everyone forgetting we got a little unexpected company on the way? It goes by the initials 'the destroyer?'" Lorne said. Fred sat up. "The destroyer. I remember the destroyer's coming."  
  
"Yeah, we got that. Any idea when?" Cordy said.  
  
"Um, I think now."  
  
Everyone turned as there were some static discharges in the air above the pentagram and an ugly demon beast dropped out of the air. It roared at Angel, but before it could do more, a teenager, dressed in some funky looking leather clothing dropped from the air beside it and beheaded it in the same motion.  
  
Angel stared in shock as the teen raised his right hand and aimed what looked like a spring-loaded stake launcher at him.  
  
"Hi, dad." The teenager said. 


	20. A New World

Chapter 20  
  
Gunn ran for the weapons cabinet. Gru moved to the side to get a clear shot at the teenager, swinging his ax. Angel turned towards them, holding out a hand.  
  
"Wait!"  
  
The teen launched two stakes at Angel in quick succession as Angel turned back to face him.  
  
"No!" Buffy screamed from the stairs. The teen heard her and paused for a fraction of a second, then ignored her and watched the stakes fly towards Angel.  
  
Angel turned as the stakes traveled through the air, aimed at his heart. The first one almost lodged in his shoulder, but he turned with it and batted the second one aside. Even as the stakes flew towards Angel, Gru's ax flew through the air at the teen, who deflected the ax, mirroring Angel's motion.  
  
Both Angel and the teen straightened back up and resumed their former positions staring at each other, the teen with the stake-launcher once again aimed at Angel, as the last of the stakes clattered to the floor.  
  
"Interesting." The teen said.  
  
"My god. It's you. Conner."  
  
Conner launched three more stakes at Angel, who ducked and rolled to avoid them.  
  
"Angel!" Buffy called. She tossed the sword that she had gone to pick up, and Angel caught it out of the air as he rolled back to his feet while Buffy jumped from the second floor landing. Conner tossed the stake launcher aside and swiped at Angel with the blade in his left hand. Angel parried the blow on his sword.  
  
Conner did a one-handed cartwheel, then flipped up, kicking both Gunn and Gru in the chest in quick succession before landing on his feet in front of the counter.  
  
Cordy positioned herself in front of Lorne and Fred, holding another sword in a guard position.  
  
"Will you just stop for..." Angel started.  
  
Conner spun back to swipe at Angel. Angel spun so that for a moment the two of them were standing back to back, parrying the blade in Conner's left with the sword in his right.  
  
"Can't we just talk about this?"  
  
Conner elbowed Angel in the back, dropping him face first on the floor, and grabbed a hold of one of Angel's ankles, sending him sliding across the floor between his own spread legs. As he slid, Angel turned onto his back and caught the down swing of Conner's blade on his sword.  
  
"Wait!" Buffy called. Conner paused for a fraction of a second again. Angel saw a look of recognition cross his face in that fraction, but Conner was back to fighting again.  
  
Angel kicked both feet up into Conner's face, sending him flying into a backward flip. Conner landed flat on his back, but did a quick kip-up back to his feet. One that looked almost identical to Buffy's.  
  
Gunn and Gru were also back on their feet, and together with Buffy and Angel formed a diamond around Conner as they all shifted positions.  
  
"Okay. Everybody just calm down." Angel said.  
  
Gru swiped at Conner and got knocked back into the stairs. Conner turned and parried the swing Gunn aimed at him, then spun out of it into a punch at Angel, back around to punch at Buffy. He kept spinning and kicking and punching at his four opponents in turn in rapid succession.  
  
"Angel, if Peter Pan here doesn't stop..." Gunn started  
  
Conner jump-kicked Gunn hard in the chest, then moved in for the killing blow. Before he could complete it, Buffy hit him on the back of the head with a two handed punch, knocking him away from Gunn.  
  
Angel dropped the sword, and straddled Conner, hitting him with a hard right cross, then forcing the blade strapped to Conner's left wrist closer and closer to his own throat.  
  
The tip of the blade started to dig into Conner's throat. Suddenly Angel's eyes widened. He ripped the blade from Conner's arm and tossed it behind him, then slowly backed off, staring at his son. Cordy, still standing guard in front of Lorne and Fred, watched as Angel slowly offered his hand to help Conner up. But Conner only squirmed back a little, then jumped to his feet and ran up the steps and out of the front doors of the Hyperion.  
  
Buffy and Angel ran after him.  
  
Conner came running out of the doors into the courtyard of the Hyperion. He ran from the shadows by the doors out into the bright sunshine.  
  
"No!" Buffy yelled.  
  
Angel started to backpedal even as Gunn and Gru reached out to pull him back before he ran out into the sunlight himself.  
  
"Conner!" Angel cried.  
  
"You're gonna fry out here, man! You don't have you're ring on. Come on."  
  
Angel watched Conner run out of the gates, Buffy not too far behind.  
  
"We'll go." Gunn said as he and Gru took off after Conner and Buffy. Angel stood in the shadows by the door staring after them as Cordy came running out.  
  
  
  
Gunn and Gru turned a corner and spotted Conner suddenly standing on a street corner, Buffy coming up slowly next to him. He spotted Gunn and Gru and ran out into the middle of the busy street and cars honked and swerved in an effort to avoid hitting him. Gunn and Gru stopped at the side of the road, blocked from following by the erratic traffic and trying to hold Buffy back so she wouldn't go after him in the busy street. Conner made it to the center of the street and stood on the centerline, staring back at Buffy, Gru, and Gunn as cars passed between them, honking. A bus passed behind Connor and he took off running, then scaled up the back of it.  
  
Buffy, Gru, and Gunn watched him disappear down the street, crouched on top of the bus.  
  
  
  
Buffy and Angel in the lead, everyone filed back into the hotel.  
  
"Okay, anyone get the number of that bus?" Angel asked.  
  
"Seventeen. I'll call, see where it ends up." Gunn said.  
  
"Let me check online. It'll be faster." Fred said.  
  
"That was it. That was it, Angel." Cordy said.  
  
Angel, pulling on his coat, turned to Cordy. "No. No, it isn't. I'm gonna go find him."  
  
"I mean the fight you just had. That was the vision I warned you about yesterday."  
  
"You never mentioned Conner!"  
  
"Because I only saw you."  
  
"Angel? I hate to bring that up, but are we sure this was Conner? Just 'cause he said 'hi, dad'?" Gunn asked.  
  
"That was him." Buffy said quietly.  
  
"Couple of weeks ago he was wearing diapers. Now he's a teenager?"  
  
"Tell me we don't live in a soap opera." Cordy murmured.  
  
"Yeah, well, personally I'm less worried about the 'how he grew up' than the 'why he came back.'" Lorne said.  
  
"He came back because he could. He found a way to escape that place." Angel said.  
  
"Yeah, well, that's a possibility. Here is another: you sure he said 'hi, dad' and not 'you're dead'?"  
  
"He's angry and afraid. As soon as we get a chance to talk to him... Fred?" Buffy said.  
  
"Seventeen goes all the way downtown. Ends up at Union Station." She answered.  
  
"Okay. Look, we're going underground. Somebody hit the surface streets."  
  
Buffy and Angel ran off towards the basement.  
  
"We got it, man." Gunn said.  
  
"We will not fail man." Gru said.  
  
Gunn turned to look at Gru.  
  
"Let's split up." Cordy said, turning to Fred and Lorne. "You guys start at the end of the line work your way backward..." Cordy trailed off as the air above the Pentagram started to crackle and hiss again. "Okay. That can't be good."  
  
"I'm guessing the dimensional rift from Quor-toth must still be open?" Fred asked.  
  
"Yeah. So, what's say we close it up before anything else slithers, skitters or slides out of there." Lorne said.  
  
"Amen to that." Gunn put in.  
  
"Princess, perhaps your newfound powers can seal it shut." Gru suggested.  
  
After a beat, Cordy said, "Can't hurt to try." She stepped into the middle of the Pentagram and lifted her hands to point at the air above her. "I command you: Close!" The air continued to crackle and Cordy turned away. "Okay. I got nothing."  
  
"Actually we do know somebody who might be able to..." Fred started  
  
"No. I already went to Wes's. Can't do that again." Gunn said.  
  
"Well, I might know a guy, who knows another guy." Lorne said.  
  
"Is it dangerous? Gunn and I can protect you." Gru said.  
  
"Well, no. It's not dangerous, it's just awkward. This guy is all hands. I mean, all hands, like fifty of them. Anybody fluid in sign language?"  
  
"You know, we can't all walk out of here when we have a cosmic crack hanging over us." Cordy said.  
  
"Then I will stay and guard the hotel." Gru said, picking up a sword.  
  
"I'm with him." Cordy said. She turned to Gunn and Fred. "You two hit the streets. Lorne..."  
  
"Already gone."  
  
Everyone headed out as Cordy got herself a sword to join Gru on his watch.  
  
"You went to Wesley for me? He's the one who told you how to save me?" Fred asked.  
  
"Yeah. He made it clear. That's a door none of us is ever going to be knocking on again." Gunn said.  
  
  
  
Buffy and Angel walked along the sewer tunnels.  
  
"I couldn't catch him. I couldn't catch him Angel! He's my son and I couldn't catch him!" Buffy said.  
  
"I know. We're gonna find him and get him back. I promise you." Angel said.  
  
"This is one promise that you better keep!"  
  
"I will."  
  
"Why couldn't I catch him damn it? Isn't that what a mom is supposed to do? You know, be there to help her child out?"  
  
"Buffy."  
  
"No! I'm a bad mom."  
  
"No you're not."  
  
"And you know the worst part? He knew it was me. He knew I was his mom. Or at least some part of him did. Did you see those two times when I said something he paused! He paused Angel."  
  
"I saw." Suddenly, Angel's cell phone chirped. He looked at it and opened it up. "Did you find him?"  
  
"No. Looks like we just missed him though. He's leaving a trail." Gunn said.  
  
"What? Did he hurt somebody?"  
  
"No, nothing like that. I mean gawkers. Folk's not used to seeing a kid in animal skins riding on top of a bus, not south of St. Monica Boulevard, anyway."  
  
"Two more Robin Hood reports." Fred said in the background.  
  
"You hear that? He's still headed downtown." Gunn said.  
  
"Where are you?" Angel asked.  
  
"Ah, just east of Union."  
  
"He won't head all the way into town."  
  
"You don't think?"  
  
"Too many people. He'll jump off, head for some place less populated."  
  
"Well, you want us to turn around, come and get you guys?"  
  
"No. Just keep following the trail. The minute it goes cold, let me know."  
  
"And if it doesn't go cold? I mean, if we find him first." "He's my son. He's my son, and he's alive. He's gonna stay alive."  
  
"Right. Anything else we can do for you?"  
  
"Yeah. Find my son and keep him safe until Buffy and I can talk to him." Angel closed his cell phone and he and Buffy moved on.  
  
  
  
Three police cars surrounded the derelict car in the aqueduct. Gunn was talking to one of the officers. After a few minutes of friendly chit chat, he made his way out from under the yellow tape to meet up with Fred.  
  
"A couple of shopkeepers saw Conner jump off the bus right up the road from here." Fred said.  
  
They walked a little ways to where Buffy and Angel were standing in the shadows.  
  
"He was here. I can smell him." Angel said.  
  
"Cops say it was a drug thing gone wrong. Some guy got killed. It wasn't our boy. They caught one of the badies. ID-ed a local as the shooter." Gunn said.  
  
"So, he was here but not part of..." Fred started.  
  
"Oh, he was part of it, lot of mayhem." He looked at Buffy then at Angel. "Including the guy's ear sliced off as a trophy."  
  
Fred made a face. "Uh!"  
  
"He was raised in a hell dimension, okay?" Buffy said defensively.  
  
"So, how do you wanna play this?" Gunn asked.  
  
"Well, it'll be dark soon. You two head back to the hotel."  
  
"Shouldn't we all keep looking?" Fred asked.  
  
"We have a better chance finding him by ourselves. We don't wanna scare him. He's all alone in a strange world."  
  
  
  
"Sunny?" Conner called. He had saved Sunny earlier from that bad guy that was tying to hurt her. Now Conner owned that guy's ear.  
  
There was no answer and Conner slowly made his way across the room. He heard some wood creaking and spun to look behind him.  
  
"Sunny?" he called.  
  
When there was no answer he continued on, and pushed open the door to the bathroom, revealing Sunny slumped against the side of the bathtub. There was a tourniquet around her upper arm and a syringe still sticking out of her forearm.  
  
Conner crouched down beside her, briefly touching her shoulder.  
  
Conner stared quietly. "Sunny?"  
  
He reached down and picked up a packet of 'medicine' Sunny had showed him earlier, then stood up. Conner turned around to find a blond woman that seemed really familiar to him and Angelus standing in the door behind him.  
  
"Conner." The blond woman said.  
  
Buffy and Angel saw Sunny slumped against the bathtub and Buffy grabbed a hold on Conner's arm, pushing his sleeve up.  
  
"She didn't shoot any of this crap in you, did she?" Buffy asked tenderly.  
  
Conner pulled free. "No."  
  
Buffy held up her hands in a placating gesture. "Okay. I'm sorry. I just..." Buffy looked at Angel who was glancing at Sunny. "We'll take care of this, okay? Together. All three of us."  
  
Conner shook his head. "Too late. Too late."  
  
Conner walked past Buffy back into the main motel room.  
  
"Connor. I'm sorry about... Was she you're friend? Conner. Just talk to me. I know that somewhere inside, you know who I am."  
  
Buffy and Angel trailed after Conner and watched him pick up a jacket and sniff at it.  
  
"Well, you know, I figure you have to be feeling like you traded in one hell dimension for another right about now, but if you just let me..." Angel started gently. "What are you doing?" He took the jacket away from Conner. "What is that?"  
  
"Give that back!" Conner said.  
  
Angel sniffed the jacket. "Why? Who're you tracking?"  
  
Conner made a grab for the jacket, but Buffy stopped him. A quick search of the pockets by Angel brought out another packet of drugs.  
  
"Right. I get it. You're going after they guy that gave her the junk." Angel said.  
  
"His medicine killed her." Conner said.  
  
"And you're going to do what about it?"  
  
"Punish."  
  
"You mean, kill?" Buffy asked.  
  
Connor made another stab at the jacket, and again Buffy stopped him.  
  
"Slow down." She said.  
  
Conner attacked Angel, but Angel took a hold of him and pushed him up against the wall.  
  
"Listen to me!" Angel said.  
  
Conner slammed Angel up against the wall in turn. "No!"  
  
"Hey! Back off you two!" Buffy said, putting an arm on each of their shoulders.  
  
Angel sighed as Conner let go of him and went to retrieve the jacket. Angel took a hold of his son, and again pushed him up against the wall.  
  
"You will listen." Angel said.  
  
Conner hauled back and clocked Angel across the face.  
  
Angel pushed Conner's face into the wall.  
  
"HEY!" Buffy yelled.  
  
"I'm not gonna let you walk out that door and get into any more trouble. Hear me?" Angel asked.  
  
"Fine." Conner replied.  
  
Angel let go of him and took a step back. After a moment Conner spun around and attacked Angel again, only to get tossed on the floor by Buffy.  
  
Buffy let out a sigh. "I'm sorry. You just don't understand how this world works."  
  
"I understand. Sunny was nice. Now she's dead." Conner said, looking up at the strong blond woman.  
  
"Conner..."  
  
"Stop calling me that! My name is Steven."  
  
Buffy and Angel just looked at Conner. 


	21. A New World cont

Chapter 21  
  
"Steven." The blond repeated.  
  
Steven pulled on Tyke's leather jacket, never taking his eyes off Angelus and the blond.  
  
"Okay. Steven. It's a good name. Not Irish, but... Look, I know we haven't gotten off to a great start here, but if we can just take a minute. That'd be good. Please, just..." Angelus started, but stopped when he noticed Steven was glancing past Angelus to the door.  
  
"Don't run away from me, alright? We lost you once already. There's just, there's just so much I wanna know, so much I need to know. Okay?"  
  
Steven just stood there.  
  
"You been okay? I mean what was it like there? Did you have any friends? Okay, I mean, not friends." The blond sighed. "It's not like you were at summer camp. I mean, you were stuck in a hell dimension. Conner, I'm so sorry. We tried to get you back. We did. We tried to come after you. We would have done anything. We just... we just... we couldn't find a way in." the blond said.  
  
"I found a way out."  
  
"Yeah. You did. You sure did. We should've, we should've tried harder. We shouldn't've quit. But you're back. And, and that's what's important, you know? You, you came back to us. I wanna know everything, Conner. I wanna know everything. Everything about you, you know, what your life's been like? You must have a million questions."  
  
"No." Steven answered.  
  
"No?" the blond and Angelus asked.  
  
Steven stepped closer to Angelus. "My father told me everything."  
  
Angelus stared at him. "Your father? Holtz isn't your father. He's..."  
  
Steven hit Angelus across the face, hard. "You don't get to say that name! You don't even get to think it!"  
  
Angelus straightened back up and just looked at Steven.  
  
"I know everything. He told me all about you. That you're a, a thing that kills and drinks blood. You're a vampire."  
  
"What do you know about vampires?" the blond asked.  
  
"Decapitation, stake in the heart, daylight, fire, did I forget anything? You have a second face. A face for killing. Show it to me. I wanna see it."  
  
When Angelus just stood there looking at him, Steven started punching Angelus in the chest. "Come on, show me! Show me the face you used to kill my father's family. Show me! Come on! Show me!"  
  
Steven aimed his next punch at Angelus' face, but the blond caught his fist and held it still.  
  
"Show him Angel." The blond said.  
  
"Buffy."  
  
"Angel, shut up and do it. Our son needs to know the truth."  
  
Angel morphed into his vamp face and Steven pulled his fist free and stumbled a couple of steps back.  
  
"That's what you are." Steven said.  
  
"It's part of what I am." Angel morphed back into his human face. "A part I hope you will be able to accept one day."  
  
"You'd have to kill me first."  
  
"Well, that's a plan." Tyke, the drug dealer guy that Steven had taken out earlier said.  
  
The blond, Buffy was what Angelus had called her, and Angelus turned around to see Tyke, followed by a couple of his goons, entering the motel room. Tyke pulled out a gun.  
  
"But I've got a better one." Tyke said. "Chamois man."  
  
Steven tried to get to Tyke, but Angel held him back.  
  
"No, no, no. Don't." Angel said.  
  
Tyke touched the bandage on the left side of his head. "Where's Sunny?"  
  
"Would that be the dead girl in the bathroom?" Buffy asked.  
  
Tyke motioned for one of his guys to check the bathroom.  
  
"Who are you?" Tyke asked Buffy and Angel.  
  
"I'm his father." Angel said.  
  
"No, you're not." Steven said.  
  
"Let me handle this?" Angel turned to Tyke. "And this is his mother. Now let's find a way to work this out. Talk through it." He turned to Steven. "Which is a thing we do here." Angel turned back to Tyke. "There's no need for violence."  
  
Tyke slugged Angel across the chin with the butt of his gun.  
  
"I'm sorry. Did you say 'no need for violence?' You may wanna speak up, you see I don't hear so good any more!" Tyke said.  
  
A goon came back. "Sunny's dead in the can. O.D."  
  
Tyke looked to Angel. "You know, I begged her to get help. Oh, well. One down, one to go."  
  
"We can make this right." Buffy said. She was trying to block Steven with her tiny body.  
  
"You can give me a new ear?"  
  
"Well. maybe you can wear a hat."  
  
"Maybe I can blow your head off." He stared coldly at Buffy and then looked to Steven. "That's my coat and I want it back. And whatever's not in Sunny's body better be in those pockets."  
  
"Son, give him the coat." Angel said.  
  
Steven said to Tyke, "You killed her."  
  
Tyke nodded, but before he could say anything a third goon entered. "Tyke, cops, man, they're looking for you. They're everywhere."  
  
Tyke looked at Angel and raised his eyebrows at him.  
  
Police with flashlights were moving around the outside of the motel. One of the cops was talking to another squatter.  
  
Tyke was aiming his gun at Angel.  
  
Angel said to Tyke, "Dead body in the river. Another one in the bathroom. This just doesn't bode well for you, does it?" Angel turned to look at Steven. "Well, you see, son, violence just always ends up bad..."  
  
With that Angel started to attack Tyke and the goons, with Buffy and Steven quickly joining in.  
  
"Hey!" Steven yelled.  
  
Steven hit Tyke on his bandaged ear and he fell to his knees with a suppressed scream. Police, carrying guns with flashlights mounted to them were closing in on Sunny's motel room. Angel dropped the last of the goons and turned to his son. "Conner, we got to get out..." Then trailed off as he sees that Tyke is holding Steven like a shield in front of him while another goon had Buffy. She was playing stupid scared blond.  
  
"I got to get out of here." Tyke said.  
  
"Don't. Use me. I'm bigger. I'll make a better shield."  
  
While Tyke hesitated, the cops started to punch at the door. Tyke spun to shoot. Buffy broke out of the goon's hold easily and grabbed a hold of Steven and pulled him down on the floor with her as bullets begin to fly. One of the goons was shot and he fell, but Tyke and the remaining goons kept shooting. Angel looked up at the light shining in through the many holes riddling the walls by now. Another goon was hit and went down.  
  
A stray bullet shattered the glass in the window opposite the door.  
  
Angel looked at Buffy and Steven. "Out that window! Go! Out the window!"  
  
Buffy hauled Steven up and they ran towards the window.  
  
"Stay down! Stay down!" Buffy said. She looked at Angel who was fast following.  
  
The door was kicked open and a cop came in, spinning to aim his shotgun at Buffy's back. Angel jumped up and took the bullet full in the back. The cop loaded the next bullet into the chamber but had to take cover as Tyke started to shoot at him. Steven crouched on the windowsill staring at Angel lying on the floor and Buffy trying to get to him and keep Steven covered at the same time.  
  
Angel raised his head and looked at them. "Go!"  
  
Buffy turned to Steven and smiled. "I think we better go now."  
  
Steven only nodded and jumped out the window with Buffy.  
  
Angel pushed himself up and launched himself at the window, tumbling out, while the firefight continued behind them.  
  
Buffy, Steven, and Angel were running, Angel hunched over around his middle, down a deserted street.  
  
"Do you need to stop?" Steven asked Angel.  
  
"I'm okay." Angel said.  
  
A police car with lights and sirens going turned into their street and Buffy pulled Steven between two parked cars while Angel followed.  
  
"Behind here." Buffy said.  
  
The police car passed and Angel let out a groan as he tried to straighten up.  
  
"Maybe I do need a second." Angel said.  
  
"Stupid. You're not the hero all the time, that was my job first." Buffy said lightly smacking Angel on the back of the head.  
  
Angel smiled and leaned on the hood of the parked van.  
  
"What you did..." Steven started, but Buffy cut him off.  
  
"Are you hurt?"  
  
Steven shook his head.  
  
"You know, if you want, you can come back to the hotel."  
  
Steven stared at Angel for a moment then his eyes looked everywhere but at Angel.  
  
"No pressure or anything." Angel said.  
  
Steven looked at Buffy. She smiled tenderly and he smiled back faintly. Steven liked her, the one that Angel had claimed to be his mother. She had a pretty smile. He wanted to ask her questions, but he was afraid, so he started to move past Buffy.  
  
"No, uh..." Steven said.  
  
"But if you, you know, if you need a place to stay." Buffy said.  
  
Steven turned to look back at Buffy and Angel. "I have to go."  
  
"You're not alone. You know that, right? I know what it's like and it's scary." Buffy asked.  
  
"Yeah. I know." With that Steven turned and ran off, leaving Buffy and Angel standing by the van, looking after him. After a long beat Buffy went to Angel and slowly and carefully moved off towards the hotel.  
  
Steven ran down a narrow alleyway. He slowed and straightened as he came up to a dark opening. After a moment a figure stepped out of the darkness.  
  
"Hello, son." Holtz said.  
  
"Hi, dad." 


	22. Benediction

Chapter 22  
  
Fred walked up to the rest of the gang waiting in the middle of the Hyperion's lobby. "Still no answer on his cell phone."  
  
"That could mean something if he actually knew how to use it." Cordy said.  
  
"Maybe we should head back out, start where we last saw him, see if we can pick up the trail." Gunn suggested.  
  
"A wise plan. I will assist with tracking." Gru said.  
  
"No." Cordy said.  
  
"But if something did come out of the portal, and if it is looking for Conner, and if Buffy and Angel did find him..." Fred started.  
  
"They did."  
  
The lobby doors opened and Buffy came in holding up a limping Angel.  
  
"Angel." Gru said.  
  
"Oh my god." Cordy said.  
  
"Bro, you're hurt." Gunn said.  
  
"I'm okay." Angel told them, Buffy helping him to sit down.  
  
"You found him?" Cordy asked.  
  
"Yeah." Buffy said.  
  
"And?"  
  
"And, we talked."  
  
"Looks to me like he likes to talk with his hands."  
  
"Oh, he didn't do this to me. Not most of it, any way." Angel said.  
  
"So, is it for sure then? That kid really was Conner?" Gunn asked.  
  
"Steven. His name is Steven now. He's still our son." Buffy said, a little sadly.  
  
"So where is he?" Fred asked.  
  
"Not sure. But he knows where we are. He'll be fine."  
  
"Actually he might not be."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Something may have escaped from Quor-toth before we had time to close the portal." Cordy said.  
  
"Lorne's dimensional magic expert was picking up some seriously bad vibes." Gunn put in.  
  
"So nobody actually saw anything else come out?" Angel asked.  
  
"Well, not exactly." Fred answered.  
  
"And if our son was the last thing that came through..."  
  
"Right." Gunn said.  
  
"But what if it was some vengeance-y else thing that's after Conner?" Fred asked.  
  
"He survived Quor-toth this long. He can take care of himself." Buffy said.  
  
"Okay. So he survived and unspeakable hell dimension. Who hasn't? You, you can't just leave him alone in the streets of Los Angeles!"  
  
"He's got to come back on his own. And he will. Just as soon as he realizes what he needs."  
  
"And what's that?" Gunn asked.  
  
"A mother and a father."  
  
  
  
Steven walked out of the motel office carrying a newspaper. He saw a man take a bag of candy out of the vending machine standing against the side of the motel, and bite into it as he walked away.  
  
Steven walked over to the machine and started to push the buttons. When no food came out he rattled the machine, then picked the whole thing up and slammed it down.  
  
Steven entered the motel room 204 carrying the newspaper and an armful of junk food. He closed the door and dropped the stuff on the table. "I found food in a big metal box outside. Dad?"  
  
Holtz came out of the bathroom. "Oh, good boy. You got it." Steven handed him the paper. "Now. Let's have a look at the date." Holtz stared at the paper then dropped down on the end of one of the beds. "Days. We've been gone only days."  
  
"I don't like this place. So many people. It's not like home."  
  
"Quor-toth was never our home, son. It was our prison. I should have known that one day you'd find a way out."  
  
"The cracks were there already. I just made the sluks show me. That's all."  
  
Holtz got up. "Frightened rats, forced to flee to daylight." He patted Steven on the cheek. "My boy's smart."  
  
"You shouldn't have followed me here."  
  
Holtz sat down on a chair. "How could I not?"  
  
Steven crouched down in front of him, putting a hand on Holtz' knee. "I would have come back to you, after I killed him." He straightened up and turned away. "I'm sorry I couldn't."  
  
"Of course you couldn't. It's not in you, son."  
  
"I've killed lots!"  
  
"Only when you had to, only to survive." Holtz got up. "And that's not the real reason why you worked so hard to get here. You wanted to see him. And her."  
  
"No." Steven walked past Holtz and sat down on the end of the bed.  
  
"It's alright son. There is no shame in it. I knew this day would come. That's why I never lied to you. I've always told you the truth about what you're parents were," Holtz crouched down in front of Steven, "how you and I came to be together."  
  
"God gave me to you."  
  
"Yes. God delivered me to you, that I'd keep you safe and lavish upon you all the love that I could never give my first children."  
  
"Because he took them from you."  
  
"That's right."  
  
"I wish I had killed him."  
  
"If you had, then you wouldn't be the boy I raised, or the man I know you'll be one day. There's more for you to learn, Steven, much more."  
  
"And I want to."  
  
"Good." Holtz stood up. "Then you must go to them."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Walk in his world, learn all you can." Holtz put a hand on Steven's shoulder. "Discover what of Angelus is in you that you might fight against it. But be on your guard. Remember what I've taught you. The devil will show you bright things, many colors."  
  
"Dad, why did you never tell me much of my mother?"  
  
"I never really knew her."  
  
"But you knew what she was."  
  
"Yes. She is the vampire slayer."  
  
"Then why does she not kill Angel, I mean Angelus? Why is she in love with him?"  
  
"I could not tell you son."  
  
"She is beautiful."  
  
"That she is. I have seen her smile, and you have the very same one."  
  
"I do?"  
  
"Yes. Don't harm her."  
  
"I would never."  
  
"She will try to protect Angelus."  
  
"Of course she will. The way I saw her look at Angelus, I can tell she loved him. But." Steven trailed off.  
  
"But what?"  
  
"The way she looked at me and treated me. She was so. loving. A part of me wants."  
  
"To be with her. It's natural. She is your mother. If you can convince her, maybe she will stay with you."  
  
"In a heartbeat. I could see it in her eyes."  
  
"She does love you. I remember the hurt in her eyes when she told me to take you and keep you safe. Now go to them."  
  
  
  
Lorne turned a crystal shimmering with many colors in his hand as he held it out to Fred. "I would have been here sooner, but I had to stop and get it enchanted. Cedrian Crystals don't actually come that way."  
  
"Will it work?" Gunn asked.  
  
"It should. Cedrian crystals are said to contain millennia of stored mystical energy and it's about the size of a "D" battery." Fred said.  
  
Cordy and Gru walked in.  
  
"That's gorgeous." Cordy said.  
  
"And priceless." Fred put in.  
  
"Though in this instance priceless meaning 'without price' as in free. A six-horned Lach-Nie owed me a favor. Don't ask." Lorne said.  
  
Cordy pointed at the contraption on the desk in front of Fred. "I meant that."  
  
"Oh. Standard issue army surplus Geiger counter." Fred said.  
  
"We picked it up at a yard sale." Gunn said with a smile.  
  
"Shiny." Cordy smiled back.  
  
"What is it's purpose?" Gru asked.  
  
"We're gonna use it to see if scary monsters came through the portal." Gunn said.  
  
"Anything that came out of Quor-toth should have left behind a kind of para- plasmic radioactivity. Of course, I'm working on the principal that everything in nature seeks a relaxed and stable state." Fred said.  
  
"I know I do." Lorne said.  
  
Cordy looked to Gunn. "Hey. So, how are they?"  
  
Gunn looked towards the stairs. "Well, still being all mature."  
  
"Really. Where?"  
  
"Upstairs."  
  
"I'm gonna go talk to them."  
  
  
  
Buffy and Angel were in his apartment sparring against each other half- heartedly.  
  
"Hey. I guess Fred is working on a way to determine if anything else came out of the portal." Cordy said.  
  
Angel knocked a soft blow at Buffy then steadied her when she turned into his arms, but didn't turn to face Cordy. "That's good." Angel went back to practicing.  
  
"So, maybe if we're very, very lucky, later today we'll be able to kill something. You guys would like that, wouldn't you?"  
  
"Sure." Buffy said.  
  
"Okay. Well, I just wanted to check in and let you both know that I was on the clock and tell you guys that you're doing the right thing."  
  
Buffy and Angel stopped punching at each other, but didn't turn around. After a beat Cordy started to leave.  
  
"What if he doesn't come back?" Angel asked.  
  
Cordy stopped and turned to look at Buffy and Angel. They headed towards Cordy and sat down at the table.  
  
"He feels further away from us now than when he was first taken. All that time I don't think I ever really believed that we'd lost him, not really. Then he shows up again and I knew we had." Angel said.  
  
"It's only temporary." Cordy said.  
  
"Yeah. Everything's temporary. There's just so much I thought we'd be able to do together before he, you know..."  
  
"Grew up?"  
  
"Hated me."  
  
"Angel, he doesn't hate you. He doesn't even know us. But he will. He's gonna come back, Angel." Buffy said.  
  
"How do you know?"  
  
"Because he has to. Because he's family."  
  
  
  
Cordy, Buffy, and Angel walked downstairs to find Fred walking around the Hyperion with her modified Geiger counter, the others following behind her.  
  
"Getting a good, strong reading here." Fred said.  
  
"Should we be wearing lead? 'Cause I actually have something." Lorne said.  
  
"Okay. This is approximately where the portal was, so it makes sense that I'd be getting a reading here. Uh, mark that." Gunn marked the floor with a piece of chalk, as Fred moved on, eyes on the readout of the Geiger counter. "Okay, looks like something might have come in here." She kept moving forward not looking where she was going. "Or here." The clicking of the Geiger counter increased as she turned to the side. "Wait a minute. Wow. Something here is pretty" Fred looked up see Steven standing in front of her, "hot. Buffy and Angel's son! Hi. I didn't mean to click at you." She turned the instrument off, throwing a glance back at the others then hurried to stand next to Gunn while Buffy and Angel stepped closer to Steven.  
  
"Hey." Buffy said.  
  
"Hey. I ah, I thought I'd come by like you said." Steven said.  
  
"I'm glad you did." Buffy turned. "Everyone, ah, this is ah, this is Steven. Steven this is Fred, Gunn, Cordelia and that's Lorne. You'll get to meet your aunt Dawn and the others later."  
  
"Hello, young man." Lorne said.  
  
Angel turned to the group. "So, are we about done here?"  
  
"Oh! Yeah. I, I think we've covered everything." Fred said.  
  
"Maybe we could take this outside." Gunn suggested.  
  
"Yes. We should do a perimeter search then recalibrate for some wider areas."  
  
"That would be a good idea." Buffy said.  
  
"It was very nice to meet you, Steven." Fred said as she and Gunn left.  
  
"Um, yeah, I, I have a thing." Lorne said as he walked past Steven and upstairs.  
  
"Yes, so, um, I'll just be sure to hold all your calls. You just, you guys take your time." Cordy said.  
  
"Thanks." Buffy smiled.  
  
Cordy walked towards Angel's office and Buffy and Angel turned back to face Steven. Angel and Steven folded their arms in perfect unison while not even looking at each other, while both shifted from foot to foot. Buffy just smiled.  
  
"So... You hungry?" Angel asked.  
  
"What do you have?" Steven asked.  
  
"We can go out."  
  
"What!? Where?!" Cordy yelled behind them.  
  
Buffy and Angel turned to see Cordy coming towards them, one hand cupped behind her ear.  
  
"Cordy?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Buffy! Angel! It's a bar! Vampires. A gang of them!"  
  
"Cordy..."  
  
"Guys, can you hear me!? I can see her. A woman. She's all alone. She doesn't see them. You have to hurry!"  
  
"Slow down." Angel said.  
  
Cordy looked around for a moment. "There is a woman at a bar. There is a gang of vampires that are after her. You have to help her."  
  
"So much for holding my call, huh?" Angel said.  
  
"Sorry."  
  
Angel looked at Steven. "Listen, um, I, we, ah, have to go out for a while. Your mom and I" Steven backed towards the door. "It's okay."  
  
"It's kind of our job."  
  
"Yeah. Whatever."  
  
"It could be kind of dangerous. There's a lot of killing and violence. You wanna come?" Buffy asked.  
  
Steven stopped and looked back at Buffy and Angel over his shoulder.  
  
  
  
They arrived at the club and were making their way through the crowd on the dance floor. "Well, you wanted to kill a vampire. This might be your chance. Here take this. Just make sure that when you use that thing go straight for..." Buffy started.  
  
"...the heart. I know. My father taught me." Steven said.  
  
"Yeah, I'm sure he did. Look, there are a lot of innocent people in here. Just don't go nailing anybody until they show their game face, okay?" Angel said.  
  
"Will it look like yours did?"  
  
"Yeah." Angel spotted Justine drinking at the bar.  
  
"So why do you do it?"  
  
"Do what?"  
  
"Why kill them if they're like you?"  
  
Justine spotted Buffy and Angel and got of her barstool.  
  
"They're not like me, Conner."  
  
"I'm not Conner."  
  
Bartender looked to Justine. "Ready for another?"  
  
Angel turned to Steven. "Just stay right there with your mom."  
  
"No, I'm done." Justine said. The bartender and the two guys sitting on either side of her vamped out.  
  
The bartender grabbed a hold of her arm. "You're not wrong."  
  
"She thinks she's a Slayer." Said a vamp.  
  
"She's about to learn different."  
  
"Yeah, cause the real slayer's right here!" Buffy called, throwing Angel a stake. "Don't worry, I won't leave you," she said to Steven.  
  
The bartender pulled Justine up onto the bar even as she turned and kicked one of the vamps away and straight onto Angel's stake. Steven watched as the vamp turned to dust.  
  
The bartender threw Justine into the shelves of bottles behind the bar. A vamp caught Angel's right hand as the stake descended towards his heart, but Angel simply staked him with the one in his left.  
  
Three other vamps attacked Angel in the small space that had cleared around Angel as Wes watched from the balcony.  
  
Justine screamed as the bartender took a hold of her. Steven and Buffy ran forward, jumping to land in the clear space next to Angel in perfect unison.  
  
"Nice... Ah, take the one on the..." Angel started, but Steven ran past to attack the vamp holding Justine.  
  
"Well, yeah. That, that makes more sense."  
  
Angel got tackled by one of the vamps and turned his attention back to the fight. Buffy was grappling with three vamps that were having trouble keeping up with her. She was grinning because Steven was at her side pulling moves that were similar to ones that Angel had taught her a while ago. Then Steven broke away to help Justine again.  
  
Steven helped Justine up and the two of them stared at each other for a beat before he led her around the bar. Justine stopped to stare again, but Angel pulled Steven away.  
  
Angel yelled at Justine, "Go. Get out of here. Go!"  
  
After one last look at Steven, Justine ran off, while Buffy, Angel, and Steven turned back to back to fight off the remaining vampires. There was short lull in the fight and they glanced at each other, a small smile appearing on all of their faces, before they returned their attention to the vamps. One of the vampires turned to run and Buffy and Steven took off after him. No more vampires attacked, and Angel moved to follow Buffy and Steven.  
  
Steven slowly moved out of the backdoor of the bar into a dark and deserted alley, stake at the ready, with Buffy at his side.  
  
Suddenly he spun, slamming the stake home, only to have his wrist caught in Angel's hand before the stake could penetrate his heart. They remained frozen in that position for a moment, Steven breathing hard. Then Angel turned the hand holding the stake and hauled back to hit Steven's arms, causing him to spin around and dust the vampire standing behind him.  
  
Steven slowly turned back around, looking everywhere but at Angel. He looked at his mom, Buffy, and smiled at her. She smiled back and Steven knew what Holtz had meant. He could see his same smile in her face.  
  
"They don't need to breathe or make any sound. You gotta be careful. You know you were, you were good in there. I mean, normally I'd take you to a ballgame, or a museum, or something. But it's, it's good to know that you can handle yourself in a fight." Angel said behind him. Steven turned and Angel mock-attacked Steven. Steven jumped back, then smiled.  
  
"It's good to know you can do that, too."  
  
Steven threw a fake punch at Angel.  
  
Angel smiled. "Whoa."  
  
Laughing and smiling, the two of them started dancing around each other, throwing fake punches, jumping up on the trash containers, sitting along the wall of the alley, horsing around. Buffy jumped up on the garbage container and sat down to watch father and son bond. She swung her legs and smiled. Steven called her down by her name, Mom. She beamed even brighter and flipped down to land behind Steven.  
  
"Wow! Can you teach me how to do that?" he asked.  
  
"Of course!" Buffy smiled. She threw a couple of punches that Steven blocked almost easily. "You know, you're my son and I let you go fight vampires. I would never let Dawn do that."  
  
"Dawn?" Steven, Angel, and Buffy stopped.  
  
"Yeah, you're aunt Dawn. You'll meet her and everyone else in Sunnydale later."  
  
"Come on son, it's getting late." Angel said.  
  
"Oh, I'm going to go. stay at the place that I've been staying. I'll be in touch." Steven said, backing away a little.  
  
"Oh." Buffy and Angel said together.  
  
"I'll come back."  
  
"Good." Buffy said. "I would hate to have to track you down and play fight with you again."  
  
Steven smiled and started to walk away, but to Buffy's, and Angel's, surprise, Steven turned back around and hugged Buffy. She hugged back and smiled. When they broke apart Steven ran off. Buffy looked at Angel with tears in her eyes.  
  
"He." She said.  
  
"I know. Come on. Let's get home. We have to call everyone in Sunnydale and let them know what happened." Angel said, slipping his arm around Buffy's shoulder.  
  
Holtz stood on the roof of a nearby building and watched them walk away. He knew now where Steven should be. 


	23. Benediction cont

Chapter 23  
  
Cordy was lounging on Angel's bed while Angel was sitting in a chair across the room with a happy Buffy in his lap.  
  
"The kid was born for it. The way he anticipated, I'm telling you, it's in his blood." Angel said.  
  
"You don't say." Cordy said.  
  
"There we were and it was like we had never been apart. He felt it, too. I know he did. You should have seen us together." Buffy said excitedly.  
  
"I did."  
  
"What do you mean, you did?"  
  
"Ah, after you guys left, I went back into my vision."  
  
"You went back in?" Angel asked.  
  
Cordy sat up. "Don't ask me how. I don't know if it is part of my new semi- demoness, or, or if they just let me go back in. But I was there. I saw the whole thing, you two and your son. together. It was beautiful."  
  
"I know. I mean, he called me mom! And he hugged me as if we had never been separated!" Buffy said.  
  
"I know. It was the most wonderful thing that ever happened to us!" Angel put in.  
  
"Yeah, and I called Faith and Spike and they are going to bring Dawn to LA. They should be here soon."  
  
As if on cue the door opened and Faith, Dawn, and Spike walked in. Cordy got up and left. She went downstairs to Angel's office. When she looked out the office window, saw Lorne in the lobby wearing a dressing gown, pouring himself a drink, and Steven standing behind him.  
  
Lorne turned and saw Steven standing in the middle of the hotel lobby. "Oh, hey, kiddo. I didn't see you there. You looking for your mom and dad? Come on. They're upstairs. I'll show you the room. This way."  
  
"I'm not going anywhere with you, demon." Steven said.  
  
"I'll tell you what, since you were raised in a hell dimension by a psychopath, and since that happens to be a topic that I know a little something about, we'll just let that slide. Now I'll fetch your mom and pop for you." Lorne turned to continue up the stairs.  
  
"Filthy demon."  
  
Lorne turned back. "Actually, that's uncle filthy demon to you. It wasn't that long ago, like a week, I was changing your diapers, you little..."  
  
"Hey!" Cordy said, coming out of the office and walking over to stand between them. "What's the problem?"  
  
Lorne just looked at Steven.  
  
"Steven?" Cordy asked.  
  
Steven never took his stare off Lorne.  
  
"Steven." Cordy repeated.  
  
After a beat Steven let himself be lead over to the settee and sat down with Cordy, but he kept staring at Lorne.  
  
"I know you haven't been in this world very long, and I imagine that things are pretty wild west-y where you're from, but Lorne's a good guy. Honestly."  
  
"It's a demon." Steven said plainly.  
  
"Right. True. He is. But 'demon' doesn't always mean 'evil' in this dimension. I mean, look at me." Steven's eye tracked from Lorne to look at her. "Well, I'm part demon. Yeah. By choice. I did it so that I could help people." She turned to look at Lorne. "And so that the back of my head wouldn't..."  
  
Steven drew his knife and lunged to stab Cordy in the heart.  
  
"Cordy!" Lorne cried.  
  
Cordy and Steven stared at each other as Cordy kept Steven's knife hand from descending on her. Then, Cordy's eyes began to glow with an intense white light. The light spread, moved up her arm and into Steven, dissolving the blade of his knife and leaving him holding just the handle.  
  
"Let it go, honey. Just let it go. You don't need that. You don't need any of that." Cordy said. The light left Cordy, suffusing Steven instead, as Cordy sat back up across from Steven. "That's right. Just let it go, baby." The light disappeared all together, leaving Steven panting and staring at Cordy. "Shh."  
  
Cordy reached up to run her hand over Steven's cheek. "It's okay, sweetie. That's right. It's okay."  
  
Steven's eyes closed and he leaned his head against Cordy and cried into her shoulder. Cordy held onto him. "I know. Shh. It's okay. It's okay."  
  
Steven sat back up and Cordy turned to look up at the balcony overlooking the lobby to see Buffy and Angel standing at the railing, Dawn, Faith, and Spike standing behind them.  
  
  
  
Angel watched from the door to his office as Lorne handed Steven a cup. Steven was leaning against Buffy and Buffy was petting his hair. Angel then looked at Dawn, Faith, and Spike sitting on the stairs, then turned back to face Cordy, sitting at the desk.  
  
"How do you feel?" he asked.  
  
"Okay. Drained. But okay." Cordy said.  
  
"Well, you got some serious mojo going on, girl. Whatever deal you struck with the Powers, it looks to me like they gave you the full package, all the extras. That kid was toxic when he came here tonight. Heavy on the 'ick'." Lorne said.  
  
"What actually happened out there?" Angel asked.  
  
"In my professional opinion? Well, Miss demon-y britches here gave that child some kind of 'soul colonic'. Flushed him out but good."  
  
"Flushed what out?"  
  
"It was that place, Quor-toth. It crept into every part of him. He was sick with it." Cordy said.  
  
"When Fred was taking her readings..."  
  
"He nearly broke the needle." Lorne finished for Angel. "My guess? She wouldn't even get so much as a click off him now."  
  
Angel crouched down in front of Cordy. "Thank you. Thank you for doing this for him."  
  
"I know what it was like for him there, the darkness and the confusion. He thought it was where he belonged." Cordy said.  
  
Angel slowly walked up to where Steven and Buffy were still sitting on the settee. "Hey, pal. How 're you doing?"  
  
"I might have tried to kill your friend." Steven said.  
  
"Yeah, well, she's used to it." Buffy said.  
  
"I think I should go."  
  
Angel went to sit down on the settee next to Steven. "Look, why don't you just stay here? I know it doesn't feel like it yet but this could be home for you."  
  
Steven stared straight in front of him. "I don't have a home."  
  
"That's not true. You just don't remember, that's all. Your home is here and in Sunnydale. This is where you're supposed to be, sweetie." Buffy said.  
  
"You speak as though you're my parents."  
  
Angel smiled slightly. "Well..."  
  
"He said the same thing." Buffy and Angel's smiles melted away. "He said, we came back for a reason."  
  
"Did he?" Angel asked.  
  
The doors opened and Fred and Gunn came hurrying in. They stopped as they saw Buffy, Angel, and Steven, and Gunn cleared his throat. They walked into Angel's office and waited for him.  
  
Buffy and Angel walked into his office where Gunn and Fred were waiting.  
  
"I told him you two and Dawn were going to take him out, spend some time with him." Angel said.  
  
"And he's good with that?" Gunn asked.  
  
Angel looked at Buffy who answered, "Yeah, he seems to be."  
  
"Where do you want us to take him?" Fred asked.  
  
"Some place where this world isn't as ugly as he thinks it is."  
  
"How long you need?" Gunn asked.  
  
"A couple of hours should do it." Angel answered.  
  
"Hey, um, what if he asks where you guys are at?"  
  
"Don't tell him." Buffy and Angel said.  
  
Gunn and Fred filed out of the office and Angel grabbed his coat.  
  
"Wait. Angel, before you two go, we have to do that thing."  
  
"What thing?" Angel asked.  
  
"That thing we do. You know, that thing where I say 'are you sure you know what you're doing, please think about this' and then you both ignore me and rush head long into trouble?"  
  
"Right. That thing. Okay, are we done?"  
  
"Angel, please think about this. In fact, don't go there at all."  
  
"We have to."  
  
"I know. But don't."  
  
"We're not gonna kill him, even though he deserves it." Buffy and Angel turned to go.  
  
"Oh, I don't care if you kill him." They stopped and turned back to look at Cordy. "He stole Steven's childhood, so kill him. But don't lie to your son. He's been here like a day. Way to build the trust."  
  
"We're not lying to him." Buffy said.  
  
"No, you're just sending him off to be distracted while you go confront the man he thinks of as his father."  
  
Angel, after a beat, said, "I'm his father."  
  
Cordy watched them turn and walk out.  
  
  
  
Holtz was sitting at the table in the motel room. He folded a piece of paper and stuck it into an envelope.  
  
"I can't recall, would you require an invitation for a place like this?"  
  
Angel was standing in the open door behind Holtz, Buffy in front of him.  
  
"Public accommodation?" Angel stepped across the threshold. "No."  
  
'No. You'd think I'd remember something like that. It would have seemed important once." Holtz stood up and turned to face Buffy and Angel. "Details begin to escape me."  
  
Angel gave the door a push so it closed behind him then grabbed Holtz by the throat and slammed him up against the wall. Buffy just stood there and watched.  
  
"You stole my son." Angel said.  
  
"Our." Buffy interjected.  
  
"Our son! You stole our son!"  
  
"I kept your son alive. You murdered mine." Holtz shot back.  
  
After a beat Angel slowly backed off and withdrew his hand from Holtz' throat. "I was different then."  
  
Holtz reached up to touch his throat. "Yes. So was I. You feel remorse. You feel remorse yet you can't express it."  
  
"You want me to say I'm sorry? How can I? It wouldn't mean a thing."  
  
"It would mean a little. Not much, but it would be something."  
  
"Then I'm sorry. For whatever little it might mean. It's all I've got." Angel stood still, looking straight ahead, and not at Holtz.  
  
Holtz lowered his hand. "Not all. You had a son. So, there it is." He sat down. "I thought by depriving you of that son it would allow me some measure of justice. I was wrong."  
  
"Taking Conner from me was never justice. It was vengeance. And it wasn't just my son you took."  
  
"Or maybe vengeance is what I do now. Give back what I took." Holtz ignored the last part.  
  
"What?"  
  
Holtz stood up. "I'm an old man now. I have nothing to offer the boy. You two can give him what I can't, his purpose. But every time you look upon his face, every time he calls you 'father,' you will be reminded of that which you took and can never give back. And if that is vengeance, I find I have no taste for it." Holtz picked up the letter and held it out to Angel. "All I ask is that you give him this. It's not sealed. I expect you'll examine it. You should."  
  
"Why are you doing this?" Buffy asked.  
  
"I thought I'd made that plain. I love my son. And this is the only way I know to ensure that he will go on loving me."  
  
Angel took a hold of the letter and turned to look at Holtz. After a moment he pulled the letter out of Holtz' hand and turned to leave.  
  
"He won't accept this at first. He'll try to find me." Angel stopped with one hand on the door, the other in Buffy's hand. "He never will."  
  
Angel opened the door and he and Buffy slowly walked out.  
  
  
  
"Drop me off by my dad's house Angel." Buffy said.  
  
"What? Why?"  
  
"I told Faith and Spike to meet me there. My dad's in Spain again and I told them they could use it. I wanna let them know everything is gonna be all right."  
  
"Ok." Angel steered the car towards Buffy's dad's house and let her out. He kissed her like everything in the past that was ever bad between them had never happened and watched her go up the stairs to the doors. Then he drove off to be somewhere quiet so he could read the letter to himself. Buffy had read it in the car.  
  
Connor was running down a dark alley.  
  
Angel stopped his convertible at a deserted stretch of beach road. He took out the letter and started to read it.  
  
  
  
Dearest Steven,  
  
This is a most difficult letter for me to write. You mean more to me than anything in this world or any other. But your best interests must come first, which is why by the time you receive this, I will be gone. I hope one day you will be able to forgive an old man's weakness, which compels him to say these things in a letter. But to attempt a good-bye in your presence would be impossible for me. I fear I would never let you go. And I must let you go. I know that if I didn't you would only end up hating me. And that I could not bear. Your destiny lies with your mother and Angel. I know that now. You will have a better life with them. I'm comforted by that certainty and the knowledge that with them you will discover your true purpose and come to know who it is you are meant to be. My only prayer is that I have prepared you well enough for whatever lies ahead. I trust that I have. Be brave.  
  
Lovingly,  
  
Your father.  
  
  
  
Angel folded up the letter and returned it to the envelope. Angel wore the trace of a smile and quietly said, "Conner."  
  
  
  
Justine slammed Holtz up against the sidewall of the motel. "Don't make me do it. I can't." Holtz had his hand wrapped around Justine's right hand and the awl she was holding up between them. "We already know you can. You promised. You said you'd do anything for me. Come on, Justine. I'm not asking you to follow me into hell. Just help send me there." She shook her head. "Do it!"  
  
Crying, Justine, her hand still covered by Holtz', stabbed him in the side of the neck with the awl.  
  
Holtz slid down the wall, still holding on to Justine while repeating, "Again. Again!"  
  
Crying, Justine stabbed Holtz' neck a second time just below the first puncture.  
  
Connor ran.  
  
Holtz stared up at the dark sky and whispered, "Steven."  
  
Connor burst into the motel room. "Dad!" He looked around the empty room. "Dad?" He backed out of the motel room and hurried down the balcony. He ran through a metal gate and stopped as he saw Justine, running her hand over Holtz' head resting in her lap. He ran up to them and dropped down next to Holtz, putting his hands on Holtz' shoulders. Justine slowly raised her head to look at him.  
  
Steven stared at the two puncture wounds on Holtz' neck. "Angelus." 


	24. Tomorrow

Chapter 24  
  
Gru walked into the lobby carrying a tray decorated with greens and two glass-mugs on it.  
  
"Hi. What you got there?" Cordy asked.  
  
Gru set the tray down. "Well, I know you had grave concern for Buffy and Angel's welfare, so I made some Mock-Na."  
  
"Oh. Mock-Na. Which is..?"  
  
"A soothing brew to relieve tension."  
  
"Ah. Kind of looks like muddy water."  
  
"Yes!" Gru picked up a mug and smelled it. "The mud gives it body and flavor. Of course there is no Plockweed in this dimension, so I made due with creeping fig and sour cress in the garden. Though it is not true Mock- Na, it is very close to the real thing."  
  
Cordy smiled brightly. "So it's mock Mock-Na."  
  
Gru offered her a mug. "Please."  
  
Cordy took it with a smile and took a tiny sip. "Well, that's, ah... I mean, I can feel the tension draining already." She handed the mug back to Gru. "And a little sediment going down the wrong..." Cordy coughed a little then smiled at him brightly. "Hmm, tasty."  
  
"And might I further relieve you by at first gently then more rapidly rubbing your Schlug-Tee?""  
  
Cordy looked at the grin on his face. "Ah, I don't really... um. Maybe later at home." She saw Gru's smile melt away and stepped up close to him. Cordy whispered, "I don't feel comfortable doing it in the office, Gru."  
  
"Doing 'it?'"  
  
"Sex."  
  
"Oh, you wish to have sex?"  
  
Cordy threw a quick look around. "What? No! Shh!"  
  
"I was proposing a massage of your Schlug-Tee, your tense neck muscle, but it is always an honor to make sex with you." He smiled then leaned closer and whispered, "Later, at home. I understand perfectly."  
  
Cordy stared straight ahead. "Angel."  
  
Gru pulled back with a sigh. "Is not who I am, princess."  
  
"I know. He's back."  
  
Cordy walked past Gru out into the lobby where Angel stood.  
  
"You didn't happen to hear..."  
  
"Hear what?"  
  
"Good. So, how did it go? Where's Buffy?"  
  
"Buffy's at her dad's house. I found Holtz."  
  
"And?"  
  
"I didn't kill him."  
  
"Maybe you're growing as a person. What did you do?"  
  
"We talked."  
  
"About Conner, ah, Steven."  
  
"Yeah. Did he come home?"  
  
"No, he's still out with Gunn and Fred. You said home."  
  
"Yeah. It's a long story, but Holtz wants what's best for him."  
  
"And what's best for him is living with you and Buffy?"  
  
Angel smiled just a bit and Cordy threw her arms around him, pulling him into a hug. "That's great! Oh, my god, I'm so happy for you. And Buffy!"  
  
Cordy pulled back and she and Angel smiled at each other, while Gru leaned against the counter, sipping Mock-Na, and watching them. "Yes. It is a happy time."  
  
  
  
Angel opened the door to one of the rooms and turned on the light. "This one might work better. He'd have southern exposure. Not too close to Buffy and I's room. I don't want him to feel like I'm hovering."  
  
Cordy watched from the door with a smile as Angel walked around straightening up the room.  
  
"But not too far. I wanna keep an eye. What do you think?"  
  
"I think it's just as good as the last five we looked at. It's not about the room; it's about Conner... I still can't get used to calling him Steven."  
  
Angel sat on the bed "Neither can I. It's what Holtz... it's what he wants to go by."  
  
"Okay, Steven, Conner, whatever. But, it's about your son living with his mother and father, getting to know them."  
  
"I don't even own a TV. He's gonna wanna watch TV. Not too much, I mean, after homework and chores. He's gonna need clothes, weekly allowance... What's good nowadays? Fifty cents, a dollar?"  
  
"Yeah. If you're Tom Sawyer painting the fence."  
  
Angel dropped back down on the bed. "See? I'm so out of touch. He's gonna hate me and love Buffy."  
  
Cordy came to sit next to him. "No, he's not. He's gonna love you both equally."  
  
"How do you know?"  
  
"Because you're you and Buffy loves you. If Buffy loves you, then I'm 100 percent sure Steven will too."  
  
"Me. A vampire."  
  
"You, a vampire."  
  
"Who drinks blood and is older than everybody he knows put together."  
  
"You're all those things, plus tight with a buck. But none of that matters."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because you have the biggest and best heart of anyone I've ever known. He's a smart kid. He'll figure it out. If he sees how much Buffy loves you, then it's gonna be all right. He'll learn to understand you better."  
  
Angel looked at her and she gave him a smile. "You really..."  
  
"Aren't I? Feeling better, or do you need to keep looking at rooms?"  
  
"Both. And I need Buffy to get here to help."  
  
Lorne said from the open door, "Hey, he can have mine."  
  
"What do you mean?" Cordy asked  
  
"Leaving on the midnight train to Georgia. Actually it's the nine eighteen flight to Vegas tomorrow, but where is the poetry in that?"  
  
"Is this because of Conner? Steven." Angel asked.  
  
"This is because of me. A buddy of mine has a club just off the strip, and he needs a singer and a seer. I could maybe do a little good."  
  
"Well, what about rebuilding your club here?" Cordy asked.  
  
"That's a great idea, pixie-cat. Except every time I do, you all seem to destroy it."  
  
"It was only three times."  
  
"You know, I got the big love here, and I'm grateful for the hospitality, but it's, it's time to move on."  
  
Angel stepped closer. "But some of this is because of..."  
  
"The not so little nipper? I'm not gonna lie. Kid's in the mix. Clearly not loving the demon kind. And, and I know it's the way he was raised, and I loved that little baby. I just wouldn't, ah..."  
  
"What?" Cordy asked.  
  
"Turn my back on him any time soon."  
  
  
  
Gru was lying on the settee in the lobby. Gunn and Fred hurried in from outside. "Nobody's here." Gunn said.  
  
"Good." Fred said.  
  
"Bad. We got to find Buffy and Angel and tell them we screwed up." Fred looked at him. "Okay, get your point."  
  
"Where is everybody?"  
  
Gru got up. "I'm here. Cordelia and Angel are upstairs trying out bedrooms." Gunn and Fred stared, then looked at each other. "For Angel's son."  
  
Fred and Gunn both said, "Oh."  
  
They heard voices from upstairs. Cordy and Angel walked down the hall together.  
  
"I'm not telling your sixteen year old boy that. Besides, you have Buffy for that!"  
  
"Well, someone has to make sure he knows the facts of life. Mine and Buffy's track record with the whole man/woman thing isn't, you know... I don't wanna use the words 'tragic farce' but..."  
  
They turned to walk down the stairs into the lobby.  
  
"Why not? You're still telling him."  
  
"You could help Buffy fill in the blanks. He's gonna have questions. Like, what do you do with a woman's Schlug-Tee again?"  
  
Cordy gasped. "You and your vampire hearing! Next time you eavesdrop I'm gonna..." She took a hold of his ear and whispered into it as the others watched.  
  
"Easy there, sailor! You use that kind of language at home?" Angel walked over to Gunn and Fred. "Where is he?"  
  
"Ah..." Fred started.  
  
"He ran away. He overheard us saying you were going to Holtz." Gunn finished.  
  
"Then that's where he went."  
  
"We were just there. We didn't see either of them."  
  
Angel sighed. "All he's gonna find is an empty room. He won't know what's happened." "What's happened?"  
  
"Holtz left. He wants Steven to live with Buffy and Angel." Cordy informed while Angel beamed slightly.  
  
"That's good! As long as we find him and tell him before..." Fred started.  
  
"He's here." Gru finished.  
  
"How can we tell him before..." Cordy started. Their heads turned as the door opened and Steven walked in. "Oh."  
  
Angel took a few steps closer to Steven, who had stopped at the top of the landing. "Hey. You all right?"  
  
"I went to see my... He wasn't there." Steven said.  
  
"Yeah. I'm sorry. He's, he left, Steven. He gave me this letter to give to you." Angel handed him Holtz' letter and Steven read it.  
  
"He says my place is here now, with you and mom."  
  
"It wouldn't have to be forever. Maybe just, give it a try for a while."  
  
Steven looked up after a beat. "Okay. We'll give it a try."  
  
Just then Buffy walked in. "Hey Steven sweetie!"  
  
Steven turned and gave her a hug.  
  
Buffy beamed and hugged back. When they broke apart, she had her arm over his shoulder. "Oh, hey. There is someone I want you to meet."  
  
"Who?" Steven asked.  
  
"Come on. I think she's up in her room." Buffy said, leading Steven up the stairs to Dawn's miniature apartment, Angel right behind them. Buffy knocked and after a minute, the door opened.  
  
"Yeah?" Dawn asked. "Hey Buffy! Hey Angel!" Then she noticed Steven. "You must be my nephew Steven. Hi, I'm Dawn."  
  
Dawn held out her hand and Steven looked at Buffy who nodded slightly. He looked back at Dawn then took her hand. "Hi. Nice to meet you."  
  
"You too."  
  
"Dawn, do you want to help Buffy and I show Steven to his room?" Angel asked.  
  
"Sure! Did you guys paint it all up like you did mine?"  
  
"No, we didn't have time. We will though. Don't worry. But your home is really in Sunnydale. This is just our summer home, sort of."  
  
They walked down the hall and stopped at a door three doors away from Dawn's room. Angel opened the door and let Steven in. Buffy and Steven squeezed through the door together because he wouldn't leave her.  
  
Steven remembered what Holtz had told him not long after he had talked to him about Buffy. "Protect her like he protects her. She loves you both very much and she will make sure no harm comes to any of you, but she needs protecting too sometimes. From what I was told, her mother died last year and so did she. Protect her son."  
  
Buffy led him to a chair and he sat down.  
  
"I'm tired and I'm sure you probably are. So we're gonna let you settle in here and your dad and I are gonna be in that room right next to Dawn's. It's 217." Buffy said.  
  
"Ok." Steven said.  
  
"Do you want anything?"  
  
"No. I'm fine."  
  
"All right, but you know where Angel and I are." Buffy leaned down and kissed Steven on the top of his head then crouched to look him in the eyes. "I love you Steven. I'm sorry we didn't try harder to get you out sooner."  
  
"No, please don't be."  
  
"Can't help it." Buffy stood and started to walk out with Dawn and Angel. She was halfway out the door when Steven's voice stopped her.  
  
"Mom?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"I love you too." And he meant it.  
  
Buffy smiled at him and said goodnight. She walked out and down to Dawn's apartment where they said goodnight to her. Angel led Buffy into their room. They got in and shut the door, turning to each other. Buffy smiled at him and he smiled back, throwing his arms around her waist and spinning around with her. For the first time in days, they were the two happiest people on the earth. Buffy kissed him and he led her over to the bed. They made love a few times, making sure to be quiet in case Steven or someone else wanted in the room to talk. They laid there, happier than they had been in a long while. Hopefully they could keep it that way this time. 


	25. Tomorrow part 2

Chapter 25  
  
Steven sat in the sun shining on his bed, rereading Holtz' letter. There was a knock on the door.  
  
"It's us." Buffy called. Buffy opened the door. "Can I come in?"  
  
Steven looked over his shoulder at the door but stayed silent. Angel picked up a bookcase and carried into the room behind Buffy.  
  
"I brought you a bookcase and some of my favorite books when I was your age." Angel said sitting the bookcase down. "So, can I get you some breakfast? Are you hungry?" "Not really." Steven said.  
  
"We can go out." Angel looked at Steven, then at Buffy who prodded him to keep going. "Hey, you know, we'll stay in, hang out together, tonight we'll do something special. You ever been to a movie?"  
  
Steven put the letter in the drawer of his nightstand. "No."  
  
"Oh, we'll go to an action movie. You'll love it. Your mom can't come tonight. She has to meet an old friend in town. But anything else you wanna see or do, just say the word."  
  
Steven stood up and turned to face Buffy and Angel. "There is one thing."  
  
"What?" Angel asked.  
  
Steven lunged for Angel, but Angel easily captured and deflected Steven's hands. "I wanna know how you do that."  
  
"Fight?"  
  
They broke apart. "Yes."  
  
"I think you got that down pretty good already." Buffy said.  
  
"I wanna learn to be like you and mom."  
  
Angel said with the slightest smile, "Well, there might be a thing or two that we could show you."  
  
  
  
Buffy and Angel were training Steven down in the lobby with the help of Gunn and Fred, who were both wearing a seat cushion on their chest.  
  
"Stake." Buffy said.  
  
Buffy tossed a stake and Steven caught it.  
  
"Vampire!"  
  
Gunn lunged at Steven and Steven 'staked' him.  
  
"Behind you!" Angel said as Steven spun to 'stake' Fred. "Civilian! Civilian!" Steven pulled his blow. "Protect her, protect her!"  
  
Angel came in to exchange a flurry of quick blows with Steven while Fred helped Gunn back to his feet.  
  
"Where is your balance? Where is your balance? Huh? You lose it." Angel grabbed a hold of Steven and pushed him over backwards so he rested awkwardly on Angel's arm, "you lose. Don't worry, I got you. I got you." He helped Steven back up. "You're doing good, kid. You've got heart."  
  
Fred raised her hand. "I wanna be the vampire!"  
  
"I wanna be in a hot tub." Gunn said.  
  
"I wanna know who's cleaning this stuff up."  
  
Gunn pointed at Fred, who in turn pointed at Buffy, Angel, and Steven.  
  
"Yeah. It has been a long day." Buffy said. She turned to Steven. "Had enough?"  
  
"No. I wanna learn." Steven said.  
  
Angel smiled. "Is this kid a chip off the old block or what, huh?"  
  
Angel gave Steven a playful punch which Steven half ducked.  
  
"He's chippy." Cordy said.  
  
"Hey, Cor, we're going to the movies tonight. You wanna come?"  
  
"Yeah! I mean, I'd like to, ah, I can't. Gru and I are supposed to have some one on one time. So..."  
  
"Oh. Right. You should do that." Angel turned and pointed at Fred. "Okay. Vampire."  
  
Fred raised her hands like claws and let out a growl.  
  
"Vampire. You're not in 'Cats.'" Buffy giggled.  
  
Fred pulled her hands in and let out a small, questioning 'grr.'  
  
Angel pointed at Gunn. "Innocent by-stander."  
  
"By-sitter." Gunn said. He dropped down onto and overturned, stuffed chair.  
  
Angel turned to Steven. "Close your eyes. Feel it. Where is the attack going to come from? This is one thing your mom and I used to practice." Steven fended off Angel's blows with his eyes closed. "Good. Good."  
  
  
  
Angel went to answer a knock on his door. "Yo. Hey! Lorne. Come on in."  
  
"Well, you're in a good mood."  
  
"Yeah. I'm taking the kid to the movies. He's gonna love it. Although, Buffy's not gonna be there with me."  
  
"Oh. No subtitles or dreary Leitmotive, all bloody action?"  
  
"You bet."  
  
"Oh, he'll love you for it. Well, I thought, I'd stop by and say arrivederci, Angel-hair."  
  
"You're really going?"  
  
"I'm really going."  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
"Don't be." Lorne held out a CD. "Here, I got you and Buffy a little something to remember me by."  
  
On the CD was a picture of Lorne, smiling while holding a microphone. Angel read the title. "Songs for the love Lorne. Oh, I get it. Lovelorn, because your name is Lorne." "Yeah, my publicist's idea. Her name is mud now but the tunes are good. And, ah, and that's not my real gift. This is: Buffy loves you. The way you feel about her is pretty much exactly how she feels about you. I know that you've been having doubts ever since you two got back together. You two are so obviously connected. Bubela, all I'm saying is: stay open. Conner's back. Your whole life is coming together. Sometimes things do work out. I got to skiddoo."  
  
"Take good care of yourself, and keep in touch."  
  
"I'll drop you a line. Let you know where to send the gift basket."  
  
Lorne waved over his shoulder as he walked towards the door. When he shut the door, Angel smiled.  
  
"Buffy, I'm gonna make it all up to you one day." He said to himself. "I can't believe that I had doubts!" Angel picked up Mr. Gordo. "Why the hell should I have had doubts? She's always loved me. Oh wait, I remember. It was something I said along time ago." He said to the pig, "'We don't live in each other's worlds anymore.' That was the dumbest thing I have ever said to her!"  
  
Steven opened the door and stared at Angel talking to the pig. "Think the pig is going to answer back?"  
  
Angel turned around and dropped the pig back on the bed. "Steven, hey!"  
  
"Hi."  
  
"How long were you standing there?"  
  
"Long enough to realize my dad is a psycho that talks to pigs about his wife."  
  
"Oh. Sorry. It was just something Lorne said."  
  
"She loves you. Why did you have doubts about that? I could have told you she loves you more than anything in the world, even me."  
  
"She doesn't love me more than you. You're her son. She loves us both equally."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Are you ready to go?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
  
  
A helicopter streaked by, launching some rockets and shooting its guns. Angel and Steven were sitting in the front of his convertible, Gunn and Fred were in the back. They were sitting at a drive in movie theatre.  
  
"Pretty cool, huh?" Angel asked Steven.  
  
Steven stared at the screen. "Uh-huh."  
  
"You emptied the jumbo tub?" Gunn asked, staring into the now empty bucket.  
  
Fred pushed the tub at Gunn. "Free refills."  
  
"I love this woman."  
  
"Shh." Angel said. "Buffy's not here, so I feel bad that you two are all couple-y back there."  
  
Gunn levered himself up out of the backseat and jumped out over the side of the car.  
  
Fred handed him the tub. "Don't skimp on the butter."  
  
Gunn walked off to refill the tub.  
  
Steven jumped as an airplane apparently streaked right at them.  
  
"Sorry. It's just make believe." Angel said.  
  
A real helicopter with a searchlight pointing down came flying up over the edge of the movie screen.  
  
"How'd they do that?" Steven asked.  
  
Angel and Fred stared at the helicopter. Gunn stopped and turned to stare as well. Some lines were lowered out of the side of the helicopter and three guys in nondescript combat uniforms started to rappel down them.  
  
The searchlight centered on Angel's car.  
  
Angel turned to Fred. "Get down!" He looked at Steven "Out!"  
  
Angel and Steven jumped out of the car as Gunn bowled down two of the Commandos. In a van parked a little ways from Angel's car, Linwood and Gavin were watching the fight on a couple of screens.  
  
"Tie me up, threaten me with sharp objects, but don't let me go. Chowder head!" Linwood said.  
  
"Kid's pretty good." Gavin said.  
  
"Oh, I can't wait to get my hands on him, cut him open, see what makes him tick."  
  
Angel stepped between Steven and two Commandos. "Get back."  
  
Steven pushed Angel aside. "No!"  
  
"He wants to protect his son." Linwood said.  
  
"We were counting on that." Gavin stated.  
  
"What weren't you counting on?"  
  
"Stay behind me." Angel said.  
  
Steven pushed Angel back. "No!"  
  
"The kid wanting to protect him so badly." Gavin affirmed.  
  
The fight continued. Gunn got thrown over Angel's car. As the commando jumped up to follow, Fred, lying on the back seat, kicked him in the crotch.  
  
"Hey, thanks!" Gunn said.  
  
"Welcome!" Fred called back.  
  
A voice came from the external speaker on the helicopter. "Abort! Abort! Abort! Abort!"  
  
The commandos melted away and the helicopter veered off.  
  
On the screen in the van, Linwood watched Angel walk straight at him and his eyes widened. "Drive! Drive!"  
  
The driver jumped behind the wheel, but Angel ripped the back doors of the van open before he could get the engine started.  
  
Angel reached in and pulled Linwood out.  
  
"Hey! Yeah, okay. Easy. Easy. Easy. Now we're even." Linwood said.  
  
"Now you're dead." Angel said.  
  
"What, you're gonna kill a human in front of your son, set an example?"  
  
"I vote yes!" Gunn said.  
  
"You're not human. Did you touch Buffy?"  
  
"Not yet. We were counting on her to be here."  
  
"Touch her and you die."  
  
Police sirens started to come closer.  
  
"We should probably both get out..." Linwood started.  
  
Steven suddenly pushed Angel aside and took a hold of Linwood. "Stay away from my father and my mother."  
  
Steven threw Linwood into the back of the van.  
  
"I'm not your enemy. We can help you, Steven." Linwood said.  
  
Conner said after a beat, "My name is Conner."  
  
Gunn and Fred exchanged a look and a smile.  
  
Angel put a hand on Conner's shoulder and Conner let himself be lead away.  
  
Gavin reached out to help Linwood up, but Linwood shrugged his hand off.  
  
"Let's go home." Angel said.  
  
  
  
The phone in the lobby was ringing just as Angel and the others walked in.  
  
"I got it!" Angel ran across the lobby, whistling.  
  
"He's whistling. I've never heard him whistle." Gunn said.  
  
"He's happy." Fred said.  
  
Conner closed the door behind them all.  
  
Angel picked up the phone. "Angel Investigations. We can help you. I know we can!"  
  
"Hi. It's me." Buffy said.  
  
"Hi! Buffy. How are you?"  
  
"I'm good. You?"  
  
Angel glanced at Conner. "I'm pretty good. I've got something to tell you!"  
  
"Um, Angel, I sort of need to talk to you, in person."  
  
"Is it something bad?"  
  
"No! No, it's something good. Well, it sort of depends on how you feel."  
  
"About what?"  
  
"Well, about me. Lorne came to see me before he left. He left me with a feeling that we need to talk."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Could you meet me tonight?"  
  
"Tonight? Sure. Okay. Where?"  
  
"I've always loved Point Dume. There's a viewpoint. It's the first turn north of Kanan. Really pretty spot."  
  
Angel said as he wrote down the directions, "Point Dume. Viewpoint. First turn, north Kanan. We'll meet there. About an hour?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Okay."  
  
"Okay."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Good. Okay then, we'll do that. Oh, hey!"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Cordy was supposed to be headed over there to take Dawn out for pizza. Is she there yet?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Ok. Well, tell Gunn and Fred I said hey."  
  
"Ok."  
  
"Angel?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"I love you."  
  
"I love you." Angel slowly hung up the phone.  
  
Angel slowly took his hand away from the receiver and turned to find everyone looking at him. "I've got to go out for a while, son."  
  
"With mom?"  
  
"Yeah. Will you be all right? Cordy is supposed to be here to get Dawn. If you want, you can go with them."  
  
"She's beautiful. And she cares about you. Is this the part where I say, 'I told you so?'"  
  
Gunn and Fred exchanged a look.  
  
"I'm glad. And you really don't have to tell me that."  
  
"It's good to see you happy, dad. It's good to see you both happy."  
  
Angel turned away with a smile, humming a little tune.  
  
"Now he's humming." Gunn said.  
  
"He's really happy."  
  
Fred, still clutching her jumbo tub of popcorn, got up from the couch and grabbed the stake lying on the sofa table. She walked over to Angel and started to poke him with the stake. "But not perfectly happy, I hope!"  
  
"No! Ouch!" Angel said.  
  
Fred held up the stake. "Just checking."  
  
"That's gone now Fred. There is no loophole."  
  
Angel slowly walked out, no longer smiling or humming. 


	26. Tomorrow part 3

Chapter 26  
  
Angel drove up a short cliff to a sign reading Dume, and pulled up beside it. He got out, sighed, then checked the smell of his breath. He was going to make everything right with Buffy tonight. He hated that there had been an awkwardness between them the past few weeks. Especially since Conner had come back. Angel had been the tinniest bit jealous that Conner had taken to Buffy faster than he had taken to Angel. Well, that was going to change too. He wasn't going to be jealous of his wife. Everything they had was supposed to be shared.  
  
Angel walked up to the edge of the cliff and checked his watch. He sighed, checked his hair, then pulled out his cell phone. He flipped it open and began to dial, but the phone tipped out of his hand and tumbled down the side of the cliff.  
  
Angel looked after it. "I hate those things."  
  
"Angel?" Buffy's voice came from behind him.  
  
He turned around and saw her standing there, looking so beautiful. She was in a short dress that showed off her feminine curves.  
  
"Hi."  
  
She smiled that gorgeous little smile of hers. It seemed like they were on their first date again.  
  
"So, why this place?" he asked.  
  
"I used to come here when I was confused or upset. It has the prettiest view." She answered.  
  
"Yeah, it does." Angel scanned the ocean. "It also has a nice cliff that steals cell phones."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"So."  
  
"So, here we are."  
  
"Yup."  
  
They were in the awkward silence part of the "date." He hated this part, so he just went ahead with what he had practiced over and over in the car. "Buffy, I hate that there's been this weirdness between us. I know that I haven't been.Conner?"  
  
"Conner?" Buffy asked looking confused.  
  
"Is here."  
  
Buffy turned to see her son standing there.  
  
"Mom. Dad." Conner said.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Buffy asked.  
  
"We're family. And I wanna show you how I feel about that."  
  
With that Conner launched himself at Angel and they both tumbled over the edge, down the side of the cliff and onto the beach below.  
  
"Angel!" Buffy screamed.  
  
Angel and Conner landed hard on the sand. It took them a second to recover, but soon they picked themselves back up.  
  
"Conner. Conner." Angel said.  
  
Conner attacked Angel, who fended off his blows.  
  
"It's all about balance. You lose it," He tossed Angel onto the sand, "you lose."  
  
Connor kicked Angel across the face.  
  
"Angel! Conner!" Buffy called from the top of the cliff.  
  
"Easy." Angel caught Conner from behind in a nelson. "Talk to me! Talk to me, okay?"  
  
Seeing that he couldn't get free, Conner stopped struggling.  
  
"Okay." Conner said.  
  
Angel let go of him. Conner pulled something out of his pocket, then turned and zapped Angel full in the face with a tazer. Angel flew back, landing in the surf.  
  
"Conner, NO!" Buffy jumped. She landed hard and let herself fall to her knees and roll. She looked up to see Conner jump on Angel and start to slug him across the face. A wave rolled over them, and Angel used it to roll on top of Conner. He held Conner's face under the water for a moment then pulled him up.  
  
"I don't know what the hell is wrong with you but you're gonna talk..." Angel started.  
  
Conner slugged him across the face with the tazer. Angel dropped to his knees, and Conner kept zapping him until Angel lay facedown in the water, no longer moving.  
  
Buffy got up and went to Conner.  
  
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Sorry mom." Conner said.  
  
"For what? Beating the hell out of your father?"  
  
"No. For this." Conner slammed Buffy across the face with the tazer. She flew backwards and landed next to Angel, unconscious.  
  
Pulling a flashlight from his back pocket, Conner turned it on and signaled to a boat waiting off shore. The boat flashed a light in response and Justine steered the boat closer to shore.  
  
  
  
Angel woke to the sound of a screw-gun. He was lying on his back inside a metal casket. Conner was tightening the screws on it. Thick steel cables were wrapped over Angel's ankles, thighs, abdomen and chest, confining his arms at his sides and holding him motionless.  
  
"Conner. Why are you doing this?" Angel asked.  
  
"You murdered my father."  
  
"No. I didn't. I swear."  
  
"He's lying." Justine said.  
  
"I'm not lying. And she knows it." Angel said.  
  
"You're the prince of lies." Conner said.  
  
"That's why you wouldn't let them kill me at the drive-in. So you could."  
  
"Killing is to good for you. You don't get to die. You get to live. forever."  
  
  
  
Conner was still tightening the screws on Angel's coffin when Buffy woke up. She touched her cheek where the tazer had hit her. It was bruised and there was blood on her hand when she pulled it away. Her vision cleared and so did her hearing. She heard Angel say, "Some day you'll learn the truth and you'll hate yourself. Don't. It's not your fault." Justine looked over at Conner and Angel. "I don't blame you."  
  
"Liar!" Conner said.  
  
"Listen to me. I love you! Never forget that."  
  
Conner and Justine went to pick up the lid of the coffin. Buffy stood quietly and looked at the scene that was playing in front of her.  
  
"Conner?! Conner, never forget that I'm your father and that I love you."  
  
Justine and Conner started to lower the lid in place.  
  
"Connor? Con..." Angel started, but Buffy cut him off.  
  
"Hey bitch. Help my son put that lid on and this ocean will be the last thing you see." Buffy said.  
  
Conner turned dropping the lid. "Mom!"  
  
"Buffy?" Angel called.  
  
"Conner, sweetie, what is going on here?"  
  
"Angelus killed my father."  
  
"Holtz is not your father. Angel is your father and he did not kill Holtz."  
  
"There were bite mars on his neck. I heard Fred and Gunn say that you and Angelus were going to see father."  
  
"We did. Didn't you read that letter?"  
  
"Steven, come on. Knock the super-bitch out again and help me here." Justine said.  
  
"Hey hell-bitch." Buffy said. Then she was in front of Justine.  
  
"What the fu." Justine started, but Buffy cut her off.  
  
"I said shut up." Buffy hauled off and punched Justine in the face. She went flying back and was out cold before she hit the deck. "Now, back to you Conner."  
  
"Mom."  
  
"Don't mom me. Sit your ass down and listen to me."  
  
"No."  
  
"Conner, I don't want to hurt you."  
  
"I know. But don't you see mom? He's evil. He's a vampire who has killed again."  
  
"No, he isn't. Angel is not Angelus. Look at me Conner. Why would I be in love with a person who doesn't have a soul?"  
  
"He has blinded you!" Conner walked up and hit Buffy across the face.  
  
"Ok. I said I didn't want to hurt you. Didn't say I wouldn't." Buffy slammed Conner in the face and he flew back hitting the deck near Justine's unconscious form. "Now sit down and be a good boy."  
  
Conner stared up at Buffy. She looked down at him.  
  
"Now I know that you are my son and I do love you, but this crap had got to stop. Your father, Angel not Holtz, is a good man. He would never do anything to hurt you and neither would I. I understand that you were raised by a psycho loony nut case in an awful hell dimension, but sweetie, get over it. What Holtz didn't tell you, I'm sure, is: that when it comes to Angel, no one messes with him and gets too far with it. I stop at nothing and no one to keep him safe and alive. Not even my own son."  
  
Conner could only stare. He hadn't anticipated on her ever hitting him. Holtz had said that she would protect Angel, but he never knew that she would go as far as hitting her own son. He also didn't realize Buffy's full strength because as he watched, Buffy reached in and broke the bonds holding Angel.  
  
"Those were steel!" Conner said.  
  
"Yeah, well, I'm the slayer. I have more strength than you can ever imagine. When we get back home, I'm gonna call Giles and have him come teach you about what a slayer really is." Buffy said. She looked up at Angel who was sitting up in the casket and pulling himself out of the rest of his bonds. "You ok?"  
  
"Yeah." Angel jumped out of the casket. He leaned down to kiss her. She gave him a quick peck then turned back to Conner.  
  
"See Conner, when you love someone as much as I love Angel, there is pretty much nothing that can keep us apart for very long."  
  
Conner could only stare. He knew she was right, but he was too proud to admit it. He looked at Angel who was coming towards him.  
  
Angel crouched down in front of him. "Son, I'm not too mad at you for this. You had every right to be mad about Holtz, but you need to know about him. He probably hired a vampire to kill him. Or." Angel looked at Justine who was now groaning and trying o sit up.  
  
Buffy walked over to Justine and put her foot on the other woman's chest, pinning her down to the deck. "You and Holtz corrupted my son's mind. I should really kill you, you know that?"  
  
"Yeah, well." Justine said.  
  
"What'd he do?"  
  
"Why should I tell you? Steven."  
  
"His name is Conner."  
  
".is the only thing I have left of Holtz."  
  
"So you want to alter my son's mind to fit your personal, sick wants? I highly doubt that you will ever get the chance tonight or any other night after."  
  
Justine just looked at her.  
  
"Come on Justine, let's here what Holtz did to frame Angel."  
  
"He made. he made me take my knife and poke the holes in his neck to make it look like a vampire bite, then I told Steve. Conner that Angelus had done it. It's what he wanted me to do. I didn't wanna, I swear."  
  
"Why?" Conner asked.  
  
"Because he wanted vengeance on Angelus for killing his first children and for taking you back." Justine said.  
  
"Give me one good reason I shouldn't tie you up, put you in that casket, and toss you into the ocean like you were planning to do with my husband."  
  
Justine smiled and looked up at her. She really was crazy. Buffy released her and Justine stood up. When it looked as if Buffy was going to back off, the slayer turned and kicked Justine in the stomach. She went crashing through the wall that stood between the deck and the captain's quarters.  
  
Buffy turned and looked at her husband and son. Conner was crying and Angel held him, rocking him back and forth. Buffy walked over and sank to her knees. Conner looked up at her when she put her hand on his back. He fell into her lap crying.  
  
"I'll get this boat home." Angel said, standing up and going to the wheel.  
  
  
  
They arrived back at the Hyperion. Gunn and Fred ran up to them.  
  
"Ok thank God! Where did he go?" Fred asked. "We went up to his room to check on him and he was gone."  
  
"Yeah, he came to find me. to tell me something." Angel said.  
  
Dawn came down the steps. "Hey Buffy! Did you just get here?"  
  
"Yeah. Where's Cordy? You're supposed to be out with her." Buffy said.  
  
"She never came. We tried her cell phone, but no one is picking up. We tried at her apartment too. There was no one there. We figured she might have gotten stuck in traffic." Gunn said.  
  
"Oh. Should we wait for her or should we go out now? To tell you all the truth, I'm a little hungry." Buffy said.  
  
"Sure. I'm positive that Cordy is just stuck in traffic. We'll leave her a note and if she wants, she can join us." Angel said.  
  
  
  
"It's ridiculous. I'm just a somewhat normal girl who has visions, glows, and occasionally blows things up with her crazy new power. I'm a higher being." Cordy said. She was standing in the middle of the frozen highway with Skip the demon guide. She had started to glow and then when she stopped, time had literally stopped and everyone on the highway was frozen in the position they had been in when Cordy had stopped glowing.  
  
"Yes." Skip said.  
  
"And when you say I've outgrown this level, that sort of implies..."  
  
"You're moving on to a new one."  
  
"Now I'm really scared."  
  
"I know. But I also know you're ready."  
  
"Oh, no, I'm not."  
  
"Ah, the universe begs to differ. And deep down inside, I think..."  
  
"Yes! All right? Stop saying I know! Maybe I do know. Maybe. If given enough time, I might even get used to the idea, but I don't have enough time, do I?"  
  
Skip just looked at her.  
  
"No, of course not. Why would the Powers give me time to save my relationship with the man of my dreams? I'm on my way to...stop Gru from leaving me!"  
  
"What you're being called to do transcends love."  
  
"How is that fair? I can't leave without telling him! I won't. He has to know how I feel! Why does this have to be now? He thinks I love Angel!"  
  
"There is work to be done in the higher realms."  
  
"Can you at least tell Gru that I do love him for me and tell my friends where I'm going?"  
  
"Sorry. Not allowed."  
  
"Then I'm not going. How can they possibly do this to me now? This is the last test, isn't it?"  
  
"Cordelia."  
  
Cordy turned to look at Skip and he tapped his left wrist. "I ever come face-to-face with those Powers That Be, we are going to have a talk, a big talk."  
  
"You're doing the right thing."  
  
"I'm scared. But I know it's right. I know somehow it's all gonna be alright. What do I do?"  
  
"Just say yes."  
  
"I already have."  
  
Golden sparkles appeared around Cordy as she started to float up in a corridor of white light. Skip watched Cordy's smiling face as she rose up inside the cone of light only to disappear above with a small flash of light.  
  
  
  
"Yeah, she's probably just stuck in traffic." Dawn said as they walked out of the Hyperion, Conner walking between Buffy and Angel. 


	27. Welcome To Sunnydale

A/N Ok, I know I said Tara shouldn't die, but I decided that Willow should go on a vengeance kick. This is supposed to follow both shows right? Well, even though it boggles my mind as to why Joss would do that, I feel it should happen for the purpose of next season (and also by a reviewers suggestion). Oh, and my friend April wanted me to say hey in one of my chapters. So, Hey Apes!  
  
Chapter 27  
  
Conner sat on his bed when the knock sounded on his door.  
  
"Come in."  
  
Buffy came in and shut the door behind her. "Hey."  
  
"Hi."  
  
"We're about ready to go."  
  
"Ok."  
  
"How's your cheek?"  
  
"Stings a little. What about yours?"  
  
"I heal fast."  
  
They stayed in silence for a few minutes. He noticed that she stood a little uncomfortably and she avoided looking directly at him.  
  
"You don't have to stay. Just come get me when you're ready to go." Conner said.  
  
"Conner, sweetie, I know that you feel bad about last night. I just wish that you could feel better. I love you and I'm not that mad about the whole beating your father and knocking me out and trying to put your father in the ocean forever. You thought that Angel had killed Holtz, the man that raised you, but he's not your father. Angel is a good man, and he loves you. Just try to accept that."  
  
"I'm trying. The only thing that really confuses me is that my dad is a vampire and my mom is a vampire slayer. You're human, but he's not."  
  
"Conner, to me, Angel is human. He may not have a beating heart like the rest of the human race and he has superhuman strength, but hey, so do we." Buffy walked over and sat down next to Conner. "Angel has a soul, he loves me and he loves you."  
  
"I know. That's not the answer I was really looking for."  
  
"Oh. You want to know how you got here." Conner nodded his head. "To tell you the truth, I don't know myself. There was a prophecy that the two warriors of the light will come to together and make one. But that really doesn't explain you, does it?"  
  
"Not really."  
  
"I can't answer that question the exact way that it should be answered, but I can give you the birds and the bees talk."  
  
Conner smiled and let out a small laugh.  
  
"What?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Fath.Holtz, gave me that talk."  
  
"Oh. Well, he probably gave it to you wrong. I doubt the guy ever had sex the whole time he was here. Unless Justine decided to. Ok, I'm gonna shut up here."  
  
"You don't have to. I saw how bad she was.and how bad Holtz was. It's not easy."  
  
"What's not?"  
  
"Telling them apart. The ones that are evil and the ones that are good."  
  
"No, it's not easy. I had to help my friend Riley out with the same topic."  
  
"How'd that work out?"  
  
"Not as well as it should have, but it helped him a little. He was part of a government thing that didn't allow any place for that 'gray area' between good and evil. All he saw was demons and vampires bad, humans good. Then he started to see that 'gray area' where Angel, you, me, Cordy, Lorne, and a lot of others stand. We." Buffy was interrupted by the door opening and Angel popping his head in.  
  
"Sorry, but just wanted to let you know: we're packed and ready to go." Angel said.  
  
"Ok." Buffy said. She turned to Conner. "We'll continue this back at home. Ok?"  
  
"Sure." Conner and Buffy stood up and walked out into hallway with Angel.  
  
"Dawn's downstairs waiting for us." Angel said.  
  
"Ok. Let's go." Buffy said. She grabbed Angel's hand and put her arm around Conner's shoulders. They walked downstairs and Dawn joined them on the landing.  
  
"Smile!" Gunn called. He took a picture of the family. "That one is going to be framed."  
  
Buffy walked up to him and hugged him. "I'm gonna miss you."  
  
"Hey, I'm always a phone call and an hour and a half drive away." She went to Fred and hugged her. Fred was crying a little.  
  
"Hey, don't cry. We're not leaving forever. We'll be here to visit often." Buffy said.  
  
"I know, it's just you all look so good together." Fred said.  
  
"Thank you." Buffy hugged Fred again then turned to Conner.  
  
"Hey Conner." Fred said.  
  
"Hi."  
  
"Are you ready to go to Sunnydale?"  
  
"I guess, kind of."  
  
"Hey! Where's Cordy and Gru?" Buffy asked.  
  
"I don't know." Angel said, coming up beside her.  
  
"She wouldn't miss this."  
  
"We tried her apartment again, but there still wasn't any answer." Gunn said.  
  
"We'll swing by before we leave and say bye if she's there." Angel said.  
  
"Keep in touch man!" Gunn said to Angel.  
  
"You know it." Angel smiled and shook hands with Gunn.  
  
"You too Conner. You're quite the teenage warrior. We've gotta keep a close eye on you." Gunn smiled.  
  
Conner smiled back as they all said their last goodbyes and went out to the Jeep. Dawn and Conner got in the back and Buffy and Angel up front. They drove to Cordy's apartment, but no one was there. They figured that Gru and Cordy were off somewhere because they found a note lying on the ground in front of the door.  
  
It read, "I've gone. You love another and I cannot stand to watch you grow away from me. I will be at the LA airport waiting for you to come prove me wrong. I bought two tickets to New York City in case you decide to come. I love you princess."  
  
"That's so sad." Buffy said.  
  
"Who else did Gru think that Cordy was in love with?" Angel asked.  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"I'll call Gunn on the way home and tell him that Cordy and Gru are in New York. I'll leave the letter here in case they come by."  
  
"Good idea."  
  
They walked back to the car and drove off. Angel called Gunn and told him about the letter. Then they were on the freeway back home. Conner and Buffy were out for an hour before Angel woke them up. They were home.  
  
On Buffy's front lawn, a sign read "Welcome Home Conner!" Buffy smiled and so did Angel. Willow, Tara, Xander, and Giles walked out of the house. Buffy's eyes widened as she saw Giles. She bolted out of the car and ran into his arms.  
  
"Giles! Oh Giles! I missed you."  
  
"Hello Buffy. It is good to see you too."  
  
They hugged each other for a few more seconds before Buffy broke away.  
  
"Giles, there is someone I want you to meet." She motioned for Conner to come to her. He did with Angel right behind him. "Rupert Giles, I would like you to meet my son, Conner. Conner, this is my watcher, Rupert Giles."  
  
"Hello." Conner said. "Mom talks about you every now and then."  
  
"Hello." Giles said in all his British guy manners. "Shall we go inside? Willow and Tara have made food."  
  
"Oh, yeah. Come on." Buffy took Conner's hand and they walked into the house. "Conner, this is Willow Rosenburg."  
  
"Hi, you can call me Aunt Willow." Willow said brightly.  
  
"And this is Tara Stephens."  
  
"Hi." Tara said. "It's nice to meet you. I hope you like it here."  
  
"Hi to both of you." Conner said.  
  
"Hey there sport!" Xander said.  
  
"Conner, this is Xander Harris. He's the one we got your middle name from." Buffy said.  
  
"Alexander." Conner murmured.  
  
"Yup, that's my name. Oh, but please don't call me that. Just call me Uncle Xander."  
  
"Conner, do you want to go up and see your room?" Willow asked.  
  
"Yeah sure." He replied.  
  
Willow led them upstairs and into the little room that Angel had had built less than two months ago. They had refurnished it with boy stuff. There were a couple of sports posters on the walls and a ball and glove lying on a little dresser. The twin-sized bed was decked out in dark blue sheets.  
  
"Willow! This is amazing!" Buffy said. "How did you pay for all this?"  
  
"Well, when you called and told us Conner had gotten older, we went and sold all of his baby things, except the stuffed animals, and bought this stuff." Willow replied happily.  
  
"Thank you Will!" Buffy hugged her best friend.  
  
"Yes, thank you so much Willow." Angel said, hugging her too.  
  
"Thank you Willow." Conner said.  
  
"Ah, you guys need to thank Tara and Dawn. It was their idea after all."  
  
"Oh. Well, let's drop your things in here and go join the party. What do ya say?" she asked Conner.  
  
"Ok. Sure." Conner answered.  
  
Angel went into his and Buffy's room and got a little suitcase and brought it back into the little room. He laid it down then walked back to his mom and dad. Willow had gone back downstairs.  
  
"Mom, there's a lot of people down there." Conner said.  
  
"I know. I'm not the biggest crowd person myself, but they're my family. Willow and Tara live here too, but they are going to move out for the new school year. That way we'll have more room." Buffy said.  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Are you ready to go down and mingle?" Angel asked.  
  
"Yeah, sure." Conner said.  
  
They headed back downstairs. Willow met them at the bottom with a big gift in her arms.  
  
"What's this?" Buffy asked.  
  
"It's for Conner." Willow answered.  
  
"Me?" Conner asked.  
  
"Yeah. Here, could you kinda take this? It's kinda heavy."  
  
"Ok." Conner picked it up with little effort. He took it in the living the living room and sat it down on the floor. He knelt down and opened the wrapping carefully.  
  
"You don't have to worry about tearing it. It's paper." Willow said.  
  
"I know, but this paper is pretty. I would like to keep it."  
  
"Oh."  
  
Buffy smiled. Conner opened the box and found a little TV in it.  
  
"What's this?" he asked.  
  
"It's a television. It shows moving pictures that tell a story." Buffy explained.  
  
"We'll get you cable." Angel said.  
  
Suddenly, Spike and Faith came bursting through the door, both out of breath.  
  
"Faith! Spike! What's wrong?" Buffy asked stepping up to them.  
  
"Warren. he's. really strong." Spike said between breaths.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Oh, bloody hell slayer! That psycho nerd Warren?"  
  
"I know who you're talking about!"  
  
"He's bleedin' strong! He just jumped Faith and I."  
  
"We just barely got away." Faith said.  
  
"Ok guys, time to spring into action. Xander, go to the Bronze, see if you can catch him there. Willow, bring out those disks that we found a while back, try and get some info off of them. Giles, you and Tara go back to the Magic Box and see if you can find a spell that might cause someone human to gain strength. There's no way that Warren can get that strong without some sort of power. Spike and Faith, you go out and patrol some more. We'll meet you guys later. Angel, you, me, and Conner will stay here and wait for any useful info off those disks. Everybody know what to do?" They all shook their heads. "Ok. Let's get to work."  
  
They all headed to their places. Willow booted up her laptop and soon had the disks decoded. They had found cameras a while back that they had discovered were planted in every possible place that one could find the Scooby Gang. Buffy had gotten jealous because they had caught Spike and Anya together. That was long over with now. She was happy with Angel. Back to the subject at hand. Willow had been talking and Buffy had been wrapped up in unhappy memories.  
  
".they're going to hit at the amusement park just outside of town tonight." Willow finished.  
  
"Good. Then that's where we'll go." Buffy said.  
  
"What about me?" Dawn asked.  
  
"You're going to stay here and help Willow out."  
  
"Why can't I come with?"  
  
"Because."  
  
With that, Buffy, Angel, and Conner left, heading towards the amusement park.  
  
  
  
When they arrived, Warren was turning over a truck. Buffy ran and silently landed on top of the overturned truck.  
  
"Unless this is your bank, that's gonna cost you." Buffy said.  
  
"Oh good I was hoping you'd show." Warren said.  
  
"Wouldn't want to disappoint." Buffy said, jumping off the truck. They exchanged a few blows. Buffy was shocked to find how strong Warren was. She wasn't about to show that though. She hit him and then he sent her flying back onto the ground.  
  
"Time to show you what a real man's like. Do you know who I am?" Warren asked smugly.  
  
"You're a murderer." Buffy answered. She shot up and punched him a few times before she kicked him sending him back onto the stone arch holding up the sign to the amusement park. It came crashing down on Warren. Buffy grimaced and then looked at Andrew and Jonathan who were being held by Conner and Angel. "This can go either way. It can hurt bad or it can hurt worse."  
  
"I think it's gonna hurt worse." Andrew said.  
  
Buffy looked at where he was looking and saw Warren stand from beneath the rubble.  
  
"That hurt slayer." He attacked. They exchanged more blows and then Buffy kicked him into the back of the truck. He said something that Buffy really wasn't listening to because Jonathan was on her back.  
  
"It's the orbs. Smash the orbs." Jonathan whispered. Then he was gone. Angel had yanked him off of her. Then Warren was on her again. He was stronger than she had first anticipated. He kicked her into a bench and she turned around to see him coming up to her.  
  
"Say goodnight bitch."  
  
Buffy saw the orbs in a little brown satchel attached to his belt. Before he could stop her, she reached up and yanked them off, smashing them on the pavement. There was a bright flash of light and then Warren looked confused. Buffy stood up and looked him in the eye.  
  
"Goodnight bitch." Then she kicked him full force in the stomach and he went flying back. Angel and Conner released Andrew and Jonathan. Warren stood painfully.  
  
"I'll be back slayer. You just watch." Then Warren pulled off his jacket and revealed a jet pack. He took off.  
  
Buffy looked up after him. "Oh COME ON!"  
  
"You've won this time slayer," Andrew pulled off his jacket.  
  
"Why didn't I get one?" Jonathan whined.  
  
"See you all later." Andrew took off, but the roof of an awning stopped him and knocked him out.  
  
Buffy stifled a laugh as the cops' sirens started. She motioned to Conner and Angel to follow her. They took off and headed back home.  
  
When they arrived, everyone was asleep. Buffy called Giles at the Magic Box and told him to go ahead and pack up. He said that he had to leave first thing in the morning to go back to England.  
  
"What? Why? You just got here." Buffy said.  
  
"I know. But I have to get back to my job. I came because I wanted to meet my slayer's son and see her happy family." Giles said.  
  
"This sucks!"  
  
"I'll be back I promise."  
  
"Whatever. I have to go put my son to bed. Goodnight Giles." Buffy hung up and went to bed. She laid awake most of the night, talking quietly to Angel.  
  
  
  
Buffy was poking around in her back yard when Xander, Angel, and Conner walked up.  
  
"Is it spring poking time already?" Xander quipped.  
  
"Just checking for trez nerds cameras, or is that uno nerds?"  
  
"You mean the evil playing card game?" Angel asked.  
  
Buffy smiled. "Hey Conner."  
  
"Hey mom."  
  
"How are you? Like it here?"  
  
"It's fine. It's going to take some getting used to, but." Conner trailed off as Warren came barreling around the corner holding a handgun.  
  
"You think you could just do that to me? Huh? Well, I'm gonna make you pay." Warren shot at them. Angel grabbed Conner and shoved him to the ground while Buffy blocked Xander and took a bullet to her left shoulder. She fell to the ground in pain.  
  
  
  
Upstairs, Willow's shirt was suddenly splattered with blood.  
  
"Your shirt." Tara said as she fell to the floor.  
  
  
  
Angel shot up and went to Buffy's still form. "Buffy? Oh God, Buffy! Come on baby. Don't do this to me. Xander, go call an ambulance."  
  
Buffy laid there, staring up at the crystal clear sky as she felt herself start to die from a gunshot wound.  
  
"Buffy!" Angel called. 


	28. Villians

Chapter 28  
  
"Mom?" Conner called. He slowly walked up to Buffy's still form. Angel was bent over her and cradling her head. She was still alive, but her breathing was shallow and she was losing a lot of blood.  
  
"Stay with me Buffy. Come on sweetheart, don't you leave me." Angel said as Buffy tried to shut her eyes.  
  
She stared straight up at the beautiful sky. All she could think was that she was going to die again and this time she wasn't ready. She wanted to talk to Angel, but the pain was so great that she had actually forgotten how to talk. She didn't want to leave her husband and her son. *It's not time! I can't go now. Angel, please stop me from leaving you all. I can't, not now!* Buffy thought.  
  
"Angel, the ambulance is on its way." Xander said as he came and knelt next to Buffy. "Hey Buff. Whatcha doing? You can't die on us. That's not fair." Xander's voice cracked.  
  
"Shut up Xander! She is not going to die." Angel snapped.  
  
"I just."  
  
"Go up front and get those paramedics back here."  
  
"But."  
  
"Go!"  
  
Xander stood and left. Angel stroked Buffy's face and hair. His right hand was putting pressure on the bleeding wound. His hand was soaked with her blood. The bloodlust tried to take him over, but he pushed it back. "Buffy, sweetie, the paramedics are coming. Don't worry; I'm not going to let you die. Just stay with me. Ok? Don't leave me."  
  
*I'm trying not to! Ow, that kind of hurts. Angel stop putting so much damn pressure on me! I'm smaller than you.*  
  
"Mom? Dad, what's wrong with her?" Conner asked.  
  
"She's been shot Conner. Just stay back, ok? Let me handle this." Angel replied.  
  
*No Angel, don't push him away! He needs to be here with us. He's our son, he need's to be here when I. No I can't think that. That's bad thinking. I'm not going to. There are so many things that I want to see and do. Angel, don't let me die. Please don't.* A small tear fell down Buffy's cheek, but she barely noticed it.  
  
"It's going to be ok. Everything's going to be ok." Angel said. Tears fell down his face, but he tried to hide them from Conner.  
  
"Come on, back here!" Xander said as he came to the backyard followed by a couple of paramedics.  
  
They rushed over to Buffy. "Sir, you're going to have to move. Let us take over here."  
  
Angel got up and moved as far away as he would allow himself and allow the paramedics enough space to work. Conner came and stood beside him. Angel put his arm around Conner's shoulders.  
  
"How long has she been like this?" the brown haired paramedic asked.  
  
"A few minutes." Angel answered.  
  
"What's her name?"  
  
"Buffy, Buffy Summers."  
  
"Are you her boyfriend?"  
  
"No, husband."  
  
"Ok. Can you tell me what happened here?"  
  
"Warren, he.he came to the backyard from the gate over there and shot at us. She pushed Xander, the guy that brought you back here, out of the way and she was shot."  
  
"Ok. Does she have any medical conditions, allergies, is she on any drugs?"  
  
"No. Nothing."  
  
"Pulse is 100 and weak. Lung sounds are wet. Buffy, can you hear me? Blink if you can hear me." The guy said to Buffy. She blinked. "My name is Mike. We're going to put you on a stretcher now."  
  
They lifted Buffy and put her gently on the stretcher and then as fast as they could, rushed her to the waiting ambulance. "Sunnydale memorial, do you copy? We have a Caucasian female, 21, GSW to the chest" They got her up into the back and then Mike turned to look at Angel. "Do you want to ride with us?"  
  
"Yeah." Angel turned to Xander and tossed him the keys to his car. "Take my car and follow us." Then Angel got in the ambulance.  
  
Willow came out of the house, blood on her shirt. "How did this happen?"  
  
"Warren. He had a gun." Xander said.  
  
"Warren?" Willow asked venomously, and then she walked away.  
  
"It went down too fast. We couldn't stop him."  
  
Willow just walked away.  
  
"Hey, Will!"  
  
"Come on Xander! Mom needs us." Conner said.  
  
"Right." They ran to the car and jumped in. Xander revved up and took off after the ambulance.  
  
  
  
When Xander and Conner arrived at the hospital, Angel was standing outside of a window looking in on an operating room. He was staring in with frantic eyes. They walked up and stood on either side of him.  
  
"I remember the last time we were here in this hospital." Angel said quietly. "Conner had just been born." He glanced at Conner. "She had such a hard time with you. She had to have a c-section. It was the most horrible experience of my 249 years. They wouldn't let me in to be with her. Just like now." Angel looked down.  
  
"Hey, Angel man, she's gonna pull through this. She's strong." Xander said, putting a hand on Angel's back.  
  
Angel was about to say something when they heard crashes from the operating room. Angel looked up and saw that the doctors were staring at a black haired girl dressed all in black. The doctors looked frightened.  
  
Angel stared at the girl. "Is that."  
  
"Willow!" Xander said.  
  
They all ran into the room just as the doctors were running out.  
  
"Willow! What are you doing? She's going to die!" Angel said.  
  
"She's not going to die." Willow said walking up to Buffy. As they all watched, the bullet came up out of Buffy's shoulder and the wound closed. It looked as if nothing had ever happened to her, except for the blood staining her shirt.  
  
The bullet floated up and Willow held her hand out where the bullet came to rest. "It's so tiny." Suddenly Buffy's eyes snapped open. She looked around confused and slowly sat up. Angel rushed over to her and hugged her, followed by Conner then Xander. Angel came back up and kissed her hair.  
  
"What happened?" Buffy asked.  
  
"You were. Never mind! Oh God Buffy! We almost."  
  
"You've got to stop doing this. I mean the dying thing is funny once. Maybe twice."  
  
Buffy looked at him a little longer. Then she realized what had happened. She looked over at Willow. "Willow?"  
  
"Buffy, hey."  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"I'll explain, but we've got to go."  
  
"What? Why?"  
  
"It's time to find Warren." Willow said as she headed out the door.  
  
"Wait! What are we."  
  
"Come on."  
  
Buffy hopped off the table and hurried after Willow. The rest of them followed.  
  
Willow led them out to the parking lot. She looked around and then asked, "Car?"  
  
"It's right over here." Xander said leading them over to Angel's car. He started to climb into the driver's seat, but Angel stopped him.  
  
"Hey, no one but me or Buffy drives this car."  
  
"But, you just let me."  
  
"It was an emergency."  
  
"Whatever." Xander climbed in the back with Willow and Conner. "So Will, where are we headed?"  
  
"Drive. I'll tell you where to go." Willow said to Angel.  
  
"Everybody buckle up." Angel said. Then they were off. Willow led them out to the desert.  
  
"Faster." Willow said.  
  
"I'm going as fast as I." Angel started, but Willow cut him off.  
  
"Faster."  
  
Angel jumped a little as the gas petal shot down. "Would you cut that out? If you wanted to drive."  
  
Angel looked at Buffy and she looked back at Willow. "Willow, we need to stop. I don't like this."  
  
"We're close. I can feel him." Willow said.  
  
"And we'll catch him, and he'll go to jail. Believe me, I'm finding the whole getting shot very motivating. But you're using magic."  
  
"If I wasn't, you'd be dead."  
  
"Maybe. But this isn't right. It isn't how I want it."  
  
"Sometimes, you don't have a choice."  
  
"I think Buffy gets the tie-breaker on this one. She was the one on the ouchy end of that bullet." Xander said.  
  
"And you do have a choice. This isn't good for you Will." Buffy said.  
  
"You made the decision to stop for a reason. You promised us. And can I just ask: what's with the makeover of the damned? I mean, the hair." Angel started.  
  
Willow suddenly shot up. "Turn. Go right!"  
  
"Go where?"  
  
"Over there. Go the other way. Now!"  
  
"Willow."  
  
"Turn!"  
  
The wheel turned and Angel let go of it. "Fine! Fine! Puppet master wants to drive? Go right ahead!"  
  
Suddenly they were on a highway. Willow stopped the car and before anyone could react, she was out and on the road.  
  
"Will! Wait!" Buffy called.  
  
Willow stood out in the middle of the oncoming traffic road. There was a bus headed straight for her. Willow focused her energy on the truck. Buffy, Angel, Xander, and Conner got out to try to pull her out of the way, but without looking at them, Willow threw a bolt of energy at them and they were all stopped in their tracks.  
  
"Stay back." She said.  
  
The truck came to an abrupt halt in front of Willow. "Get out."  
  
Warren stood up and started for the doors. He was under Willow's power. As he stepped of the bus, Willow came up and grabbed his neck.  
  
"Please, please, I'll do anything!" Warren cried as Willow started to squeeze.  
  
"Willow! NO!" Buffy called.  
  
Suddenly, Warren's face contorted and sparked and then his eye fell out.  
  
"It's a robot!" Willow exclaimed.  
  
Buffy, Angel, Conner, and Xander were suddenly able to move and they walked up to Willow.  
  
"I could feel his essence. He tricked me." Willow turned and headed towards the car. "We'll find him another way."  
  
"And then what?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Then we'll kill him."  
  
"What?" Angel asked.  
  
"Will, stop!" Buffy grabbed Willow's arm and turned her around. "You need to calm down."  
  
"Calm down?" Willow asked.  
  
"You're angry. I am too. What Warren did, there's no excuse, but."  
  
"He killed Tara." They all looked at her stunned. "When he shot you, he hit her too. Upstairs. In my room."  
  
"Oh my God."  
  
"Guess that last shot was a charm."  
  
"She's dead?" Angel asked.  
  
"She's dead, and so is he." Willow answered.  
  
Buffy started to cry. "No. Oh God, Tara."  
  
"Christ Willow, why didn't you say anything?" Xander asked.  
  
"I'm busy." Willow said. She turned and started off again.  
  
Buffy recovered enough to grab Willow again. "No, come on. Stop."  
  
"Don't"  
  
"We love you. And Tara. But we don't kill humans. This isn't the way."  
  
"How can you say that? Tara is dead."  
  
"I know. And I. I can't believe. anything. Not what happened, not what you must be going through. But if you do this, Warren destroys you too."  
  
"You said it yourself, the magic is too strong, Will. There's no coming back from it." Xander said.  
  
"I'm not coming back." Willow said as she started off again.  
  
Buffy grabbed her again, apparently the only one brave, or stupid, enough. "Don't, please. We'll get through this together."  
  
"We won't, not your way."  
  
"Willow."  
  
"No. No more talking."  
  
"But." Angel started.  
  
"It's done." Willow shot a blast of energy their way and they were all thrown to the ground. When they looked up, dazed, Willow was gone.  
  
  
  
It was nighttime when they got back to Buffy's house.  
  
"Willow?" Buffy called. "Dawn?"  
  
"Maybe she went to the hospital to find you." Xander said.  
  
"We left there hours ago. She'd be back by now." Angel said.  
  
They walked upstairs.  
  
"Dawnie?" Buffy called again.  
  
Buffy swung the door open to Willow's room. She walked in a little ways and saw Tara's body bathed in moonlight, the blood from her chest pooled on the ground and looked black in the darkness. Angel took Conner out in the hall and told him to stay.  
  
Buffy was about to fall apart, but then she saw Dawn huddled in the corner. "Oh.God." Buffy reached Dawn and kneeled beside her.  
  
"I didn't want to leave her alone." Dawn said.  
  
"Dawn." She didn't move. "Hey, let's go downstairs." Still nothing. "Come on Dawnie. Let's go. Be strong, for me ok?"  
  
Dawn looked at Buffy. "I don't understand."  
  
"I know honey, I don't either."  
  
Dawn started to cry. Buffy pulled her into an embrace. Angel came over and hugged both girls. Xander stood in the doorway, staring at the scene horrified. 


	29. Villians cont

Chapter 29  
  
Later on, Buffy and Dawn sat close on the couch. Dawn was wrapped in a throw blanket, and Buffy had her arm tight around her, the other holding Angel's hand and Conner was sitting in front of Buffy's legs, leaning back.  
  
There was some activity as Xander lead some people from the coroner's office down the hall stairs. They wheeled Tara's covered body on a gurney.  
  
"If you can just sign this." One of the guys said handing Xander a clipboard.  
  
"Sure."  
  
"Call this number tomorrow and we'll have more information."  
  
"Ok, thanks. Thank you."  
  
"I'm sorry for your loss."  
  
Xander just nodded, folding the paper from the clipboard, then headed to the living room and sat down on the coffee table, facing Buffy, Angel, Dawn, and Conner. "So, that's it."  
  
"The police left?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Coming back tomorrow with more of their pretty yellow tape."  
  
After a few moments of silence, Buffy said, "We need to find Willow."  
  
"Yeah. She's seriously off the wagon. Warren's a dead man if she finds him." Xander said.  
  
Dawn looked up. "Good."  
  
"Dawn, don't say that." Buffy said.  
  
"Why not? I'd do it myself if I could."  
  
"Because you don't feel that way."  
  
"I do. And you all should too. He killed Tara, and he nearly killed you. He needs to pay."  
  
"Out of the mouths of babes." Xander said quietly.  
  
"Xander." Buffy said.  
  
"I'm just saying, he's about as bad as any vamp you've sent to dustville."  
  
"Being the slayer doesn't give me a license to kill. Warren's human."  
  
"So?" Dawn asked.  
  
"So the human world has it's own rules for dealing with people like him." Angel said.  
  
"And we all know how well the rules work." Xander said.  
  
"Sometimes they do. Sometimes they don't."  
  
"We can't control the universe. If we were supposed to, the magic wouldn't change Willow the way it does. And we'd be able to bring Tara back." Buffy said.  
  
"And mom." Dawn said.  
  
"There are limits to what we can do. There should be. Willow doesn't want to believe it and now she's messing with forces that want to hurt her." Angel said.  
  
"All of us." Buffy added.  
  
"I just, I've had blood on my hands all day. Blood from people I love." Xander said.  
  
"I know. And now it had to stop. Warren's going to get what he deserves. I promise you. But I will NOT let Willow destroy herself."  
  
"So where do we go? She could be anywhere." Conner said.  
  
"Maybe the magic shop. There could be some kind of locating spell." Buffy said to Angel, then she looked at Xander. "Angel and I can go if you."  
  
"No, I'll go. It's ok." Xander said.  
  
"Dawn and Conner can't stay here."  
  
"Let us come with you." Conner said.  
  
"No, it's too dangerous."  
  
"But it's Willow. She needs us." Dawn said.  
  
"She does. And you'll both help her. Lots. But first we have to get her home in one piece."  
  
"But."  
  
"Dawn, I'm serious. You've been through enough for one. ever. Okay? You should be somewhere you'll feel safe. Both of you."  
  
"Fine, I want to go to Spike's."  
  
"Me too." Conner added.  
  
"All right." Buffy said.  
  
"What? Not all right! After what he did to you before you found out you were pregnant?" Xander said.  
  
"Xander!" Buffy said. She looked at Conner and Dawn. "I'll get your coats."  
  
She went to the staircase and Xander and Angel followed her.  
  
"You're not really leaving Dawn and Conner with Mr. Attempted Rape and the winner of the Ms. Psycho Killer Pageant?" Xander asked.  
  
"They'd never hurt Dawn. Spike physically can't. And they wouldn't. They both love Dawn."  
  
"After that night, I'd say all bets are off on what he's capable of."  
  
"She feels safe with him and Faith. Right now, they're all we've got."  
  
  
  
Buffy opened the door to Faith and Spike's apartment. "Spike? Faith?"  
  
Clem jumped up and threw the potato chips everywhere in the process. "Suffering cats! Where did you come from!?"  
  
"Sorry, we didn't mean to startle you."  
  
"Woooo, it's, it's ok. You all just snuck up on me, that's all."  
  
"I spilled your snacks." Buffy smiled apologizingly.  
  
"Don't worry about it. Not like I need any more of this." Clem pointed to some of his loose skin. "Hi."  
  
"Hi." Dawn and Conner said.  
  
"Can I get you guys something? I was just going to mix up some Country Time."  
  
"We were looking for Faith and Spike actually."  
  
"They didn't tell you?"  
  
"Tell me what?"  
  
"They left town."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"They just took off?" Dawn asked.  
  
"That's why I'm staying here for him. Sweet pad like this goes empty a few days; you'll lose it for sure. Plus I don't have a TV." Clem looked at the three. "I'm surprised they didn't tell you. They were kind of in a hurry. I guess. You sure I can't get you something? I have Bugles and Liverwurst and."  
  
"We're fine, thanks, but you could do us a favor? You think Dawn and Conner could hang out here with you for a while? I have some stuff to do and I don't want them to be alone."  
  
"I still don't see why we can't." Dawn started.  
  
"Dawn, I told you both why." Buffy said. She turned to Clem. "What do you think?"  
  
"No problem. I'd love the company." He looked at Dawn and Conner. "You like Parcheesi?"  
  
"Sure." Dawn said.  
  
"I've never heard of it." Conner said.  
  
"Of course not. From what Spike told me, you haven't lived in this world very long. That's ok, we could rent videos. I've been dying to watch 'The Wedding Planner.'"  
  
"Either way, I'm good." Dawn said.  
  
"Me too." Conner said.  
  
"Here, you guys take the comfy chair."  
  
"I'll be back as soon as I can. I promise." Buffy said to Dawn and Conner.  
  
"Ok." They said in unison.  
  
"Thank you." Buffy said to Clem. She turned to go, but turned back. "Did they say why they'd left and when they'd be coming back?"  
  
"Spike and Faith? No, only that they could be gone a while. They had a huge fight and Faith left. Spike went to find her, but she had left town. He got so mad that he just left."  
  
"Oh." Buffy said. "Ok, bye." Buffy walked down the stairs to the parking lot and out to Angel.  
  
"So?" he asked.  
  
"They're gone."  
  
"Then who's watching Dawn and Conner?"  
  
"Clem. He's a friend."  
  
"Oh."  
  
  
  
"Are you feeling any change? Can you talk?" Xander asked as he helped Anya over to a chair at the table.  
  
"It's wearing off." She replied. "Willow was here earlier. Put the whammy on me. Then she went straight to the dark arts books. Sucked them dry."  
  
"Look Anya, something terrible has happened."  
  
"I know. Tara."  
  
"Willow's out for blood, big time. We need to find her before she finds Warren. Can you think of something? A locator spell..."  
  
"I don't need a spell. I can feel her."  
  
"You can."  
  
"Feel her. Her thirst for vengeance is overwhelming."  
  
"Is that, like, left over from your vengeance demon days? That you can sense her?"  
  
"Not left over."  
  
It took Xander a second to catch her meaning. "Oh."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"When?"  
  
"When do you think?" Anya asked bitterly.  
  
Just then, Buffy and Angel came in.  
  
"Anya says she knows where Will is." Xander said.  
  
"A spell?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Not exactly. Seems Anya got her vengeance on again."  
  
"Oh." Buffy and Angel said together.  
  
"So, Willow's all wrathy. Why don't you go to her? Isn't that your gig?" Angel asked after a beat.  
  
"Normally I have to, but she doesn't want me." Anya said.  
  
"She wants to do it herself." Buffy finished.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Anya. We don't have much time. Which side of this are you on?"  
  
Anya hesitated.  
  
"If you know where she is, you can help us." Angel said.  
  
"I'll help, but I'm helping Willow. She's close to him, in the woods."  
  
  
  
They ran through the woods in search of Willow, Anya in the lead. Suddenly, Anya stopped, eyes wide.  
  
"What's happening? What do you feel?" Buffy asked.  
  
"She's stronger now. Close." Anya replied.  
  
"What about Warren? Has she.?" Angel asked.  
  
"He's still alive. She's not done though."  
  
"Let's move." Buffy said.  
  
They ran faster than they had ever tried to before. They had gone a little ways when Anya stopped and looked around. She pointed to a clearing. "Over there."  
  
They started running again. As they neared the clearing, they could hear Willow.  
  
"I said CAN YOU FEEL IT?"  
  
"Please, God... I did wrong, I see that now. I need jail. I need... but you, you don't want this. You're not a bad person. Not like me."  
  
"Willow!" Buffy called.  
  
"When you get caught, you'll lose them too. Your friends." Warren continued. "You don't want that. I know. you're in pain but."  
  
"Bored now." Willow said.  
  
Buffy, Angel, Xander, and Anya burst into the clearing just as Willow tosses a hand in the air and Warren's skin went flying off. Willow looked at them then back at what was left of Warren. His remains then set on fire and burned away quickly.  
  
"Oh my God!" Xander said.  
  
"Willow, no! What did you do?" Buffy asked defeated.  
  
Willow turned her head slowly and looked at them. "One down." She looked at Warren's burnt remains and they disappeared. Then, so did Willow in a swirl of black energy.  
  
Buffy and the others just stared in horror at the place where Warren had been. 


	30. Two to Go

Chapter 30  
  
They were running again. Willow had a magic-y head start on them. Buffy and Angel were ahead of the group, running at almost full force. Buffy looked back and then she shot out a hand to stop Angel. Xander had stopped and was leaning against a tree.  
  
"Come on, we have to keep moving." Buffy said.  
  
"I think I'm gonna be sick." Xander said.  
  
"Again?" Anya asked.  
  
"Xander, we don't have time." Buffy said.  
  
"I know, it's just. what happened back there, the sounds of it. The smell." Xander said.  
  
"I know."  
  
"Willow did that."  
  
"That's why we have to move." Angel said.  
  
Buffy put a hand on Xander's shoulder and looked at each other. Xander nodded and they started to walk fast.  
  
"You heard what she said. 'One down.'"  
  
"So, we're thinking 'two to go.' Jonathan and what's-his-face, the other guy?" Anya asked.  
  
"Andrew. Both of them are just sitting in the county jail without a clue Willow's coming." Buffy said.  
  
"You don't think she's gonna kill them too? She wouldn't. There's no good reason."  
  
"Will's got an addictive personality, and she's just tasted blood."  
  
"She could be there already." Angel said.  
  
"No she couldn't. A witch at her level? She could only go airborne. It's a thing. Very flashy, impresses the locals, but it does take longer." Anya said.  
  
"Longer than what?" Xander asked.  
  
"Teleporting." With that Anya vanished in a whoosh of smoke.  
  
"Right, Vengeance Demon. How could I... at least she'll get there first."  
  
"And I'm counting the ways that could go wrong." Buffy said.  
  
"Anya can handle herself."  
  
"Against Willow, tonight? Don't be too sure."  
  
"She's got to come down sometime, doesn't she? I mean back there she was out of her head, running on grief and Magicks."  
  
"Doesn't matter. Willow just killed somebody. Killing changes you. Believe me: I know." Angel said.  
  
"Warren was a stone cold killer of women just getting warmed up. You ask me? Bastard had it coming."  
  
"Maybe. Jonathan and Andrew don't." Buffy said.  
  
"This is still Willow we're dealing with right?"  
  
"I hope so. I mean, I want to believe that as much as you do, but whatever she's going through, we gotta stop her. And maybe we can if we get to Angel's..." They stopped in front of Angel's car. It was almost ripped to shreds. ".car." Buffy finished.  
  
"Willow." Xander said.  
  
"Looks like she wants to finish the job without us tagging along. Meet us at the jail."  
  
"Sure, but how are you guys gonna."  
  
Buffy and Angel started to run. They leaped over a cut down tree without any effort and kept going. They were moving at an incredible speed.  
  
"Okay, then, I'll just... catch up. She's only my best friend, you know. No big deal, just... Glad I can help." Xander called after them.  
  
  
  
Buffy and Angel reached Main Street and ran into the alley next to the police station. They could hear shouts and a lot of commotion. Willow told the cops to "Back off." Buffy listened harder and she could hear Andrew and Jonathan screaming for help. Buffy looked at Angel and he nodded towards a side door. Buffy walked over and turned the knob until it broke then pulled the door nearly off its hinges. They entered the station house and were greeted by another door. Buffy and Angel, in unison, pulled their legs back and kicked the door in. The alarms went off, but they ignored them and headed into the empty station house. They started up some stairs, but were met by yet another door. Buffy rammed it with her shoulder and the door broke away. They ran upstairs into the holding room.  
  
"Buffy! Oh thank God. Help us!" Jonathan called.  
  
"It's ok. We'll get you out." Buffy said. "Angel, I don't have any keys."  
  
"Buffy, we're super heroes, we don't need keys. Besides, we don't have time." Angel said.  
  
"Right." Buffy grabbed a bar and Angel grabbed another parallel to hers. Buffy counted to three and they pulled. The bars gave way easy and Jonathan and Andrew shot through them. Buffy and Angel straightened up.  
  
"Anya." Buffy started.  
  
"Just go. I'll be fine." Anya said.  
  
Buffy and Angel led Andrew and Jonathan out the way they came. They raced into the alley and Buffy went to see what was happening. Willow was flying up to the whole she had created in the wall. Buffy turned to Angel. She was about to say something, but an inhuman screech cut her off. Their hands shot to their ears and Buffy grimaced.  
  
"Ahh! What is that sound? God it kills!" Andrew cried.  
  
The screaming grew.  
  
"We have to make a run for it." Buffy said to Angel.  
  
"Are you kidding? She's like Dark Phoenix up there! And you expect us to just outrun her?" Andrew asked.  
  
"Pretty much." Angel said.  
  
A police car drove up next to them. Xander called, "Get in."  
  
Buffy opened the back door and let Jonathan and Andrew get in. Angel was already on the passenger side and waiting for Buffy. She ran around the car and grabbed on as Xander drove forward. She jumped in as the police turned and yelled at them to stop. They didn't. They drove as fast as Xander would go.  
  
Buffy checked the mirror. "Is she coming?"  
  
"I don't see anything." Xander said.  
  
"You guys all right?" Buffy asked Jonathan and Andrew. "Are you injured?"  
  
"No. I, I don't think so." Jonathan said.  
  
"Where are you taking us?" Andrew asked.  
  
"We'll find someplace safe and keep you there until we can stop Willow." Buffy said.  
  
"'Run and hide!' That's your brilliant plan?"  
  
"I don't believe this!" Jonathan groaned.  
  
"Boys? If you don't knock it off, I will pull this car over and you can just walk to your painful deaths from here." Xander said.  
  
"I don't get it. Willow's a witch. Why doesn't she just. you know. wave her arms and make us dead?"  
  
"She doesn't want you dead." Angel said.  
  
"She wants to kill you." Buffy finished.  
  
"But we didn't do anything!" Andrew whined.  
  
Angel shot his fist back and punched Andrew in the nose.  
  
"OW!"  
  
"Hate to admit it, Buff, but Jonathan may have a point. Why isn't she right here right now?" Xander asked.  
  
"Maybe, maybe she's just getting her mojo up and running, or maybe she hasn't figured out how much power she really has yet." Buffy answered. Angel slipped his arm over Buffy's shoulders. "And neither have we."  
  
"Guess we keep running, huh?" Xander asked.  
  
"I still can't believe that was Willow. I mean... I've known her almost as long as you guys. Willow was... you know. She packed her own lunches and wore floods and she was always... just Willow." Jonathan said.  
  
Everyone was silent as they took what Jonathan had just said in. The sound of a semi-truck came up behind them. They didn't think anything of it until the truck rammed them from behind.  
  
"Geez it!" Jonathan cried.  
  
"What was that?" Andrew asked.  
  
"Just Willow." Xander said.  
  
Buffy and Angel looked back. Willow was on top of the truck, driving it magically. The driver looked confused and frustrated.  
  
"Any ideas?" Xander asked.  
  
"Drive faster." Buffy and Angel said.  
  
The truck rammed them again. Xander put the petal to the metal and they rocketed off. They weren't fast enough for the magic-y speed of Willow's very own semi and they were rammed again. This time, the two bumpers got stuck and the sound of crushing, squealing metal sounded throughout the car.  
  
"Well, this is faster." Xander said.  
  
"She knows you guys are in this car too, right?" No one said anything. "Right?" Jonathan asked again.  
  
Buffy looked into the car's side mirror and saw Willow on top of the truck. She was sweaty and she looked a little exhausted. The bumpers separated and Buffy started to get worried about Willow.  
  
"Angel, look." Buffy said.  
  
"She's draining." Jonathan said from the back of the car.  
  
"She's what-ing?" Xander asked.  
  
"Just keep going."  
  
Willow started to shake and then she fell. Buffy didn't want to leave her, but they had to. She was still dangerous. Xander sped away and the truck jack-knifed to a stop. Everyone in the squad car watched as they drove away.  
  
"Cool!" Andrew said.  
  
  
  
Dawn and Conner paced the room as Clem was saying, ".Not like I'm knocking the nacho cheese ones, I like the taste. It's the texture I can't deal with. So gritty. Kinda hurts my tongue, so I'd give 'em... a seven. Seven-five maybe and you think this is dumb, don't you?"  
  
"No! As taste tests go, this is definitely one of the better ones I've been to." Dawn said.  
  
"This is my first one. But it's good though. Interesting." Conner added.  
  
Clem sadly put the chips away. "I get it. No biggie. You guys wanna play cards?"  
  
"Clem." Dawn said.  
  
"I can be a real boredom-buster, if you just give me half a chance."  
  
"It's not you."  
  
"Still, I feel responsible. It's not fair, kids your age, cooped up in an apartment. Tell you what: let me get my hat and coat, I'll take you guys to a movie. We'll go nuts. PG-13!"  
  
"Clem, look at us. Do we look weak to you? Or incapable?"  
  
"Heck no!"  
  
"So why are we stuck here?"  
  
"No good reason I can see."  
  
"Tara was our friend as much as anybody else's."  
  
"Sure, I could see that." He motioned to Dawn. "You two were ... I'm still real sorry about what happened. If there's anything I can do to help, just name it."  
  
"Anything?" Conner and Dawn asked.  
  
"Aw, you're not going to get yourselves in trouble now, are you? Or me? 'Cause Buffy's the Slayer; I'm a demon, that's real incentive to get along with her..."  
  
"We need a demon to help us from what Dawn told me." Conner said.  
  
"Spike would have." Dawn added.  
  
"Spike's gone."  
  
"I know, that's why we need you."  
  
"I'm going to regret this." Clem said as they headed out the door.  
  
  
  
Anya unlocked the door and Buffy, Angel, Xander, Jonathan, Andrew, and her ran in.  
  
"Thanks Anya, for getting here so fast. It's a big help." Xander said.  
  
"And once again we find Xander Harris needing the big help." Anya retorted.  
  
"Whatever. So, can you still sense Willow? Knowing her location would be a real comfort right now."  
  
"No. I can't. And that means whatever she's feeling, it's gone way beyond simple vengeance."  
  
"Did I mention the me needing comfort?"  
  
"Whatever we've got here, better grab it fast. This is going to be one of the first places Willow would think to look for us." Buffy said.  
  
"Then what are we doing here?" Andrew asked. They all turned and looked at him. "You know, I could summon a demon to kill her."  
  
"And I could smack you so hard your eyeballs switch sockets." Xander said.  
  
"No one is getting killed. Sit down." Buffy turned to Anya. "We've got to find some kind of Magicks that'll stop Willow."  
  
"But she drained the place." Angel said. "Took everything."  
  
"Not everything." Anya said. She reached under the counter with a key and unlocked a hidden door. She came back up with a small old book.  
  
"What is it?" Xander asked.  
  
"Book of protection spells. Anti-magick. Our last resort."  
  
"Think you can work this stuff?"  
  
Anya opened the book then looked back up at them. "Ah. Okay. The good news is: text is intact. Bad news is: I can't read a word of it. It's like in, ancient Sumerian or something."  
  
"Can I take a look at." Jonathan started.  
  
"Shut up." Buffy and Angel cut him off.  
  
"I just thought, you know, as long as you're protecting us, the least I could do is..."  
  
"I'm not protecting you, Jonathan. None of us are. We're doing this for Willow. And the only reason it happens to be your lucky day is because if she kills you, a line gets crossed, I lose a friend. And I hate losing." Buffy said.  
  
"She REALLY does." Angel said.  
  
"I get that. It's just... you know she's running out of power, right? I could tell, I could practically feel it. I've dabbled in the Magicks."  
  
"I'm thinking Willow's in a league of her own about now, dabble-boy." Xander said.  
  
"But still, running that hot for so long. just a matter of time before you gotta recharge. No matter how juiced up you are."  
  
"Thank you. Now remember that thing we talk about?" Buffy asked Jonathan.  
  
"About me shutting up?"  
  
Buffy nodded. Jonathan went back to the table and sat down next to Andrew. Xander took Buffy and Angel over to the side to talk to them.  
  
"Guys, say this works. And we stop Willow from working the hoodoo for a minute. What then?" Xander asked.  
  
"We talk to her." Buffy answered.  
  
"Great. And say what?"  
  
"Whatever she's going to do, she starts with these two. They're the line she cannot cross. And if she's running low on the Magicks.she's probably somewhere now trying to get it all back."  
  
"Where?"  
  
"I think I know."  
  
Xander got a look of realization.  
  
"Xander stay here and watch the dead geeks walking. Angel and I are going to find Willow." Buffy said.  
  
She and Angel headed out and walked fast through the streets of Sunnydale. 


	31. Two to Go cont

Chapter 31  
  
"Rack's place was right around here last time..." Dawn said. She, Conner, and Clem were walking down a deserted street near the edge of town.  
  
"I don't feel anything. Oh well. Not here. Let's go home." Clem said.  
  
"You don't feel anything because his place moves. I told you."  
  
"Know why Rack moves all the time? Because he's shady. A bad element comes down here."  
  
"I get that. But Willow's part of it now... She is the element. Rack may know where she is. Which is why we need to talk to him."  
  
"We? In a face-to-face way?"  
  
"Or me and Conner will. We'll go in without you."  
  
"No, it's fine. It's just. Rack isn't partial to the floppy eared. He's got a thing. But I'm in. Absolutely."  
  
"Either way, just get me there."  
  
"Say Rack does know where Willow is. He's not going to tell you for nothing. He's gonna want something."  
  
"I've got money."  
  
"I don't think that's the kind of something he's gonna want. Rack likes little girls."  
  
"I'm not a little girl."  
  
"Sorry. Of course. Little, that's wrong. But girl, I stand behind. I mean, you definitely have. You're clearly. You have parts."  
  
"Look are you going to help us or not?" Conner asked.  
  
"I just, I don't know if you two thought this through. I'm supposed to keep you both safe and this whole thing is. I mean, even if you guys find Willow, you really think you can stop her?"  
  
"I don't know, but I can't sit around while another person I love. I can't just sit around." Dawn said.  
  
"We don't have a plan. Don't we at least need a plan?"  
  
"Buffy and her friends never have a plan. They just sort of... jump in and don't know what they're doing."  
  
"And this works?"  
  
"They never really let me come along. Guess we'll find out." Clem gave her a look. "It's ok. I mean, they usually come back in one piece."  
  
"Usually?"  
  
"My mother is the slayer. She is strong. It should be always. She came back from getting shot in one piece." Conner said.  
  
"Well, that was because of Willow." Dawn said.  
  
"Still. I've seen mom fight. She is absolutely amazing. She taught me a little. Therefore, we will be fine."  
  
"Whatever. I wish Buffy would teach me a few moves."  
  
"I'll talk to her."  
  
"It won't work."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"She doesn't want me 'exposed' to that kind of stuff."  
  
"Oh. She let me."  
  
"You were forced into it."  
  
"No difference. You were forced into it too. I mean, mom and dad told me that you were once a key thing and a bunch of monks made you."  
  
"I see your point."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"You're exactly like your dad: very logical thinking."  
  
"He's not all THAT logical."  
  
  
  
"Are you getting anything?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Not yet." Angel said.  
  
"This sucks."  
  
"Tell me about it."  
  
"If we don't find her."  
  
"We will. Don't worry; she still had some bit of humanity in her. Maybe we can reach that."  
  
"I hope. But with our track record with humanity, we're definitely lacking."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
They walked towards the place where she remembered trying to find Rack's place with Spike. This was nerve wracking! Willow had killed a person, she'd tasted blood. Who knows what she's done since they lost her on the highway.  
  
"Wait." Angel said.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I feel something."  
  
"Rack's?"  
  
"Maybe." They walked a little ways. "It's getting stronger."  
  
"God, I hope she's there. But I also hope she's not."  
  
"Here." Angel said. He stepped through a mystical barrier and disappeared. Buffy rolled her eyes and walked through too. When she got in, Angel was turned facing her. Clem stood next to him.  
  
"Clem?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Hi." The demon answered.  
  
"What are you doing here? Where's Dawn and Conner?"  
  
"Um, I know that this might make you mad, but." Clem pointed to a closed door.  
  
"You brought them HERE?"  
  
"It was against my will."  
  
Buffy didn't listen. She walked over to the door with Angel and he opened it. Willow had Dawn backed up to a wall and was talking to her. Conner was sitting on the floor by a chair and he was just coming to.  
  
"'Mom!' 'Buffy!' 'Tara!' Waah! Come on, someone's gotta stop the carnage. It's time you went back to being a little energy ball. No more tears Dawnie."  
  
Buffy nodded towards Conner as she said to Willow, "I think you need to get away from her."  
  
Willow turned and Dawn took the advantage to run over to Conner and Angel.  
  
"You need to back down and think a minute Will." Buffy said.  
  
"Wasn't gonna hurt her. Buzzkill." Willow said.  
  
"She tried to turn me back." Dawn said.  
  
"You're attacking the people who love you now?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Only the ones in my way."  
  
"That's not. you need help."  
  
"Doing fine on my own, thanks."  
  
"Angel take Dawn and Conner and get them out of here."  
  
Angel guided them towards the door, but it slammed and locked.  
  
"Don't we're all friends." Willow said.  
  
"I know what you want to do, Willow, but listen to me: the forces inside you are incredibly powerful. They're strong, but you're stronger. Just remember, you're still Willow."  
  
"Let me tell you something about Willow: she's a loser. And she always has been. Everyone picked on Willow in junior high, high school, up until college with her stupid mousy ways and now, Willow's a junkie."  
  
"I can help. WE can help."  
  
"The only thing Willow was ever good for. the only thing going for me. were those moments, when Tara would look at me and I was wonderful. And that will never happen again."  
  
"I know this hurts. bad. but Will, if you let loose with the Magicks now, it will never end."  
  
"Promise?"  
  
"You don't want that."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because you lose everything. Your friends, your self. you let this control you and the world goes away. That's not... Willow, there's so much to."  
  
"Ack! Please! This is your pitch? You hate it here as much as I do. I'm just more honest about it."  
  
"That's not true, not anymore."  
  
"You're trying to sell me on the world. The one where you lie to your friends when you're not trying to kill them and you screwed a vampire just to feel and insane asylums are the comfy alternative. Then you go and get married cause you're pregnant with his kid! Please! This world? Buffy, it's me! I know you were happier in the ground, hanging with the worms. The only time you were ever at peace in your whole life is when you were dead. Until Willow brought you back." The whole time Willow had been talking, the rooms had changed. "You know, with magic." Willow finished.  
  
Buffy and Angel looked around to find the Magic Box. Conner and Dawn were standing next to Buffy.  
  
"Sorry. It can be kind of a rough trip if you're, you know, not me."  
  
Dawn staggered and fell to the floor. "Dawn." Buffy and Angel went to help her and they collapsed too. Conner fell next.  
  
Willow spotted Jonathan and Andrew. She turned to them. "Jonathan, Andrew, you boys like magic, don't you?" Willow raised her hands and a dark light came from them "Abra Cadabra." Willow blasted them, but a magical shield blocked them. "Ok, I didn't see that coming." She stopped.  
  
"W.What just happened?" Andrew asked.  
  
"We're alive!" Jonathan exclaimed.  
  
"You want to take it slow? I can do that too. Just ask Warren."  
  
"No." Buffy said behind Willow. She tried to stand and lunge at Willow, but she was too disoriented to get very far.  
  
Willow shot at the guys again with the dark light, but she was blocked again.  
  
"Let's get out of here!" Jonathan said.  
  
"No, no , stay." Willow said. She gestured to the training room door and it slammed shut. Jonathan and Andrew each grabbed a sword.  
  
"I mean we're just gettin' started. I got all kinds of big party plans."  
  
Buffy collected her strength and stood up. "Will."  
  
"Don't." Angel said, also getting warily to his feet.  
  
"Guys... c'mon. I'm getting the wood for the violence here. And you know what they say: if at first you don't succeed..." Willow shot at Jonathan and Andrew again. Still, nothing happened to them. "Damn, this is one effective counter-spell. Won't keep you alive though."  
  
"Will, stop. You have to give this up, now." Buffy said.  
  
Willow ignored her. "Oh, I get it. You boys put a spell on yourselves didn't you. On everyone here. Protecting you from harm from Magicks. That's cute." Buffy grabbed Willow, but she ignored the slayer and shrugged her off. "I used to be cute. Now I'm just incredibly powerful, so, whatever the problem is, I know it's not me."  
  
Buffy stepped between Willow and the boys. "Will, back off before somebody gets hurt."  
  
"How bout I back off right after?" Willow looked at the boys. "So which one of you worked the mojo? Doesn't matter really. I'm just curious. Just because I can't do Magicks to you, doesn't mean I can't do 'em on myself." Willow looked down at herself. "DAH MEE-hee WIM." A black energy surrounded her and sent Buffy flying back into some bookshelves.  
  
"Buffy!" Angel yelled.  
  
"All right. Now, I'm pretty sure I'm strong enough..." Willow turned the table over, "to beat you to death."  
  
Willow went for the boys, but Buffy came up and blocked her path. "I don't want to hurt you."  
  
"Not a problem." Willow rushed at the boys, but stopped and spun back towards Buffy. She was trying to scare the boys a little.  
  
"I said I didn't want to." Buffy punched Willow so hard that she went flying into the shelves that separated the table from the front of the shop. "Didn't say I wouldn't."  
  
Willow looked up at Buffy in shock. Angel came to stand behind her. Buffy noticed Xander herding Conner, Dawn, Andrew, and Jonathan towards the door.  
  
"I'm getting you all out of here." Xander said.  
  
"What about Willow?" Jonathan asked.  
  
"Buffy and Angel can handle her."  
  
"Are you sure?" Dawn asked.  
  
"No, that's why we're leaving. Come on." Xander headed towards the door with them then turned to bring Anya too.  
  
"I have to stay to keep the spell going on Willow." Anya said.  
  
"But."  
  
"Do something right!"  
  
Willow saw them leave and she screamed, "No!"  
  
Xander looked back.  
  
"Go." Angel told them.  
  
Willow stood and faced Buffy and Angel. She smiled a little. "So, here we are."  
  
"Are we really going to do this?" Buffy asked.  
  
"COME ON! This is a huge deal for me. Six years as a sideman and now I get to be the slayer."  
  
"A killer isn't a slayer. Being a slayer means something you can't conceive of."  
  
"Oh, Buffy! You married a killer. You're blind. You really need to have every square inch of your ass kicked."  
  
Buffy looked at Angel and then back at Willow. "Then show me what you got. And I'll show you what a slayer really is."  
  
Willow attacked. She threw punch after punch at Buffy who blocked them. Willow tried to hit Angel, but Buffy caught her arm and spun her, nearly breaking her arm. Willow came back around and kicked Buffy into one of the side bookshelves. Then she looked at the ladder and it flew at Buffy, pinning her to the bookshelf. She tried to escape, but a barrage of books, statues, and a chair came flying at her. Angel jumped at Willow and brought her down as Buffy threw the ladder off of her. Willow threw Angel away and Buffy had to dodge his flying body. Willow turned to walk away, but Buffy flew into a tackle and brought Willow back to the floor. Buffy landed on top and Willow pushed her off.  
  
"Get off super bitch!"  
  
Buffy stood up in time to receive a sidekick that flung her through the glass counter. Angel tossed Willow back and Buffy was up and grabbing onto Willow.  
  
"I can help you stop." Buffy said.  
  
"I thought you were going to show me what a slayer was." Willow said.  
  
Willow punched Buffy again and she went through the counter and the curtains revealing Anya casting the spell. Angel's eyes widened and he rushed at Willow, but she flung him back magically, knocking him out.  
  
"Well, hey. Isn't that interesting?" Willow said. Buffy stood to try to get between Anya and Willow. "Anya's still here." Willow shoved Buffy onto the front room table. ".chanting her little heart out. And I think I've been beating the wrong gal." Anya tried to run, but Willow grabbed her and lifted her up by the throat.  
  
"HELP ME!" Anya cried.  
  
"Can't block my spells if you can't chant. Can't chant if you're sleepin'." Willow threw Anya into the back wall of the Magic Box.  
  
Buffy stood and tried to rush Willow, but stopped short when the witch turned on her.  
  
"Buffy, I gotta tell ya: I get it now. The slayer thing really ISN'T about the violence. It's about the power." As Willow said this, a black energy formed around her and then she shot it at Buffy.  
  
Buffy soared into Giles' desk and went out for a few seconds.  
  
"And there's no one in the world with the power to stop me now." Willow said.  
  
Buffy looked up groggily just as Willow was hit by a green blast of energy. She went flying back onto the marble floor and slid to a stop. When she looked up, her nose was bleeding. Then she looked up at the door. Buffy followed her eyes and saw Giles.  
  
"I'd like to test that theory." He said.  
  
Buffy looked at Angel and saw that he had come to and was looking at what had just happened with wide eyes. 


	32. Grave

Chapter 32  
  
"Giles?" Buffy said, turning back to look at her watcher.  
  
Anya was standing and helping Angel to stand. "Giles!" Anya said.  
  
Giles walked a little further into the room, never taking his eyes off Willow.  
  
"Uh oh. Daddy's home." She sat up. "I'm in wicked trouble now."  
  
"You've no idea." Giles said. "You have to stop what you're doing."  
  
"Ooh, sorry, can't do that. I'm not finished yet."  
  
"Neither am I." He gestured for her get back down on the floor. "Stay down."  
  
Willow hit the floor.  
  
"How did you." Angel asked.  
  
"New trick from the old dog. That's barrowed power. No way it's strong enough to." Willow started.  
  
"I'm here to help you." Giles cut her off.  
  
"Thanks, but I can kill a couple of geeks by myself. But, hey, if you'd like to watch. I mean, that's what you watchers are good at, right? Watching. Butting in on things that don't concern you."  
  
"You concern me, Willow. Stay on this path and you're going to wind up dead."  
  
Buffy stood painfully and went to Giles' side. "Willow. Listen to him. I don't want to fight you anymore."  
  
"I don't want to fight you either, I wanna fight him." Willow said eyeing Giles. Willow stood and Giles tried to keep her down.  
  
"Stay dow."  
  
"No." Willow waved her hand and looked hard at Giles. A low hum began to emanate from her. "Remember we had that little spat before you left? When you were under the delusion you were still relevant here? You called me a rank, arrogant amateur? Well, buckle up Rupert..." Her eyes turned black and a glow started to form around her. ".cause I've turned pro." She looked around, then back at Giles. "Asmodea, bring forth."  
  
"Vincire!" Giles said. A green blob of energy shot from his hand and wound around Willow's middle, pinning her arms down.  
  
"What.? No! Off me.! Solvo Libero." Willow tried to cast a spell, but her head shot back and she went into a trance like state. She was floating like that when Buffy looked at Giles.  
  
"What did you do?" she asked.  
  
"Contained her and her powers within a binding field. It puts her in a kind of stasis for the time. You cut your hair!" Giles said, shocked.  
  
Buffy just laughed. "You're just now noticing?"  
  
"Well. I was. in a hurry then."  
  
Buffy cut him off by throwing her arms around him. Giles hugged her back. Anya and Angel came to stand next to them.  
  
"I'm blonde." Anya said. "I colored my hair. Again. I'm blonde."  
  
"Yes, I noticed." Giles said.  
  
Anya hugs Giles too and he hugs her back.  
  
"I didn't do anything new to my hair. I guess I don't get a hug." Angel said.  
  
Buffy and Giles chuckled. He let them go and for the first time, Giles and Angel hugged. Buffy smiled. She had been waiting for Giles to finally accept Angel after all this time, and now he finally had.  
  
"It is good to see you Angel." Giles said when they pulled apart.  
  
"You too." Angel replied.  
  
"I do hope you're taking care of my slayer."  
  
"There's nothing in the world more important to me."  
  
"Good." Giles walked up to Willow and looked at her. "I'm very sorry about Tara."  
  
Willow's head lolled to the side so she could look at him. "This.won't hold.me.forever."  
  
  
  
Buffy, Angel, and Giles stood in the training room talking. Anya was out in the shop trying to clear some of the rubble.  
  
"I came as soon as I heard." Giles said.  
  
"Did the council.?" Angel asked.  
  
"The Council hasn't a clue. About much of anything, really. There's a powerful coven in Devonshire. They sensed the rise of a dangerous magical force here. A dark force, fueled by grief."  
  
"Willow." Buffy said.  
  
"I hoped not. Then a seer in the coven told me about Tara... That's when the coven imbued me with their powers."  
  
"And sent you to bring Willow down."  
  
"Buffy, what's happened here? Things seemed perfect when I was here not too long ago."  
  
"God. I don't know where to start."  
  
"Well, Willow's clearly been abusing the majicks."  
  
"She has. She was. and I barely even noticed. Everything's been so... Dawn's a total klepto, Xander left Anya at the altar and Anya became a demon again. And I. I'm so... I slept with Spike. You now about the rest with Conner and Angel. I told you that."  
  
Giles stared at her. She was a little self-conscious. She started to say something, but Giles started to laugh. She stared at him, not believing that he could laugh at her. Then Angel started to laugh too. Buffy looked at him, then the absurdity of it all hit her too. She started to laugh along with the two men. They all laughed so hard that they were crying. Buffy and Angel didn't make it any easier for Giles or themselves because they told the almost full stories of what had been happening since he had been gone.  
  
"Duct tape?" Giles asked through his laughter and tears.  
  
"Over their mouths! Then I'm letting the demon eat them!" Buffy answered.  
  
"Because their just figments?"  
  
"All of it! You, Sunnydale... And I'm a nutcase in L.A.!"  
  
"Of course! Why didn't we see it before?"  
  
"I didn't know you had taught Buffy how to tie knots!" Angel said.  
  
Giles laughed harder. "Why's that?"  
  
"Cause I couldn't break the knot to try to help Buffy!"  
  
That made them laugh harder. After a few more minutes, they finally caught their breaths. Buffy's side hurt she was laughing so hard.  
  
"Can you forgive me?" Giles asked.  
  
"For what?" Buffy asked.  
  
"I should never have left."  
  
"Oh, Giles... You were right to leave. We're just... stupid."  
  
"But I know you're all stupid. I shouldn't have abandoned you."  
  
"No. You were right about everything. It is time I was an adult."  
  
"Sometimes the most adult thing you can do is ask for help when you need it."  
  
"Now you tell me." Buffy chuckled. "Guess the thing is... I wasn't ready before. It just took a while for that feeling to go away... The feeling that I wasn't really here. Like... like when I clawed my way out of that grave... I left something behind. Part of me. Or... I just. I don't understand. Why I'm back."  
  
"Buffy, you have a calling."  
  
"It was my time, Giles. Someone would have taken my place." Buffy looked down then at Angel as if she were apologizing. She looked back at Giles. "So why?"  
  
Neither Giles nor Angel could give her a simple answer for that.  
  
"Right." Buffy nodded. "What's going to happen to Willow?"  
  
"The coven is working on a way to extract her powers without killing her. And should she survive, you ought to know... There's no guarantee she'll be... as she was."  
  
Buffy looked down. Angel came over and wrapped his arms around her. She lay back on his chest and listened as Giles continued.  
  
"Willow killed a human being, Buffy. How will she be able to live with herself?"  
  
"Oh, I wouldn't worry about that." Willow's voice said behind them. They all turned and stared at a floating Anya. Then Willow moved Anya over, revealing that she was picking the girl up by the neck. "Willow doesn't live here anymore." She threw Anya aside.  
  
Buffy rushed Willow, but Willow threw up a hand and Buffy went flying back into Angel and they both went down.  
  
Giles held up a hand. "Vincire!"  
  
Willow waved the green blob away. "Solutom." She wagged a finger at Giles. "Fool me once." Willow looked at the knives on the wall and they came off their hooks and pointed at Giles.  
  
"Willow."  
  
"Shame on you!" The knives flew at Giles.  
  
"TEGO!" Giles called. The practice dummy came to rest in front of him and the knives stuck in it. Willow just grunted and waved the dummy away. Giles took the advantage and shot his palm at her "Excudo!" Willow was thrown back through the brick wall and slammed into one of the pillars that held up the upper landing, cracking it, and she came to a sprawled out landing.  
  
"Giles! You're gonna kill her!" Angel cried. Giles threw him a glance and noticed that he was taking care of Buffy. She had landed hard on the floor and was bleeding.  
  
Out in the main room, Willow stood up and turned to look back into the training room. She was pissed now. Giles walked up to her and it was on. They shot at each other with different colors of magical energy and cast spell after spell on each other. It went on for a while. Finally Giles was thrown back onto a pile of rubble. He stood looking around wearily. The Magic Box was a war zone. He looked at Willow. She was cut in a few places and there were bruises, but she was still up for more. Him however.  
  
"That all you got Jeeves?" she asked. "Cause I could stand to go another ten rounds. Whereas you can barely stand, period."  
  
"Your powers... may be significantly greater... But I can still hurt you. If I have to."  
  
"Hurt me? Boy, you just don't get it, do you? Nothing can hurt me anymore. This.?" She pointed to her wounds then took her hand and waved it in front of her face. The wounds disappeared. ".is nothing. It's all nothing."  
  
"I see. You lose someone you love and the other people in your life... The ones who care about you become meaningless." Buffy and Angel came up behind Giles. Buffy was tired and hurt, but she was the slayer, she could take it. She and Angel watched Willow and Giles, but Willow didn't seem to notice. "I wonder. What would Tara say about that?"  
  
"You can ask her yourself." Willow pointed at the pillar that she had cracked earlier and the upper landing started to crash down. Buffy and Angel rushed Giles and brought him flying out of the way. Buffy looked up at Willow and she just stared right back. "You two are always saving everyone. It's kinda pesky." Willow bent down and stuck her hand in the fire. When she came back up, there was a ball of fire burning on her hand. "You probably even think you're buying escape time for Jonathan and the other one... Well, I got a little secret for ya... I can kill them from anywhere I want. Anytime I want." The flame started to spin and grow. "With this. It'll find them. And it'll bury them. Along with anyone helping those Dead Men Walking."  
  
"Don't." Buffy said.  
  
"Unless. Somebody, somehow. Can get there in time to save them. Huh, oh well." Willow tossed the fireball into the air. "Fly, my pretty. Fly. See what I did there?"  
  
Buffy and Angel looked at Giles.  
  
"Go!" he said.  
  
They took off.  
  
"Good luck!" Willow called. "Thought they'd never leave! Now I finally have you all to myself."  
  
Buffy and Angel looked up into the sky as the fireball flew overhead. With one last glimpse in the Magic Box, they tore off after it. The streets and back streets of Sunnydale were a blur as they ran at super human speed. The fireball was moving at a fast speed and they had a hard time keeping up with it.  
  
"They're near by." Angel said as they neared the graveyard.  
  
"How can you.?"  
  
"Vampire. Good hearing."  
  
"Right." Then Buffy heard them too. Someone was banging on a metal door.  
  
"Ow! Son of a bitch!" Jonathan said.  
  
"Butt wipe!" Andrew replied.  
  
"I wasn't talking to you!"  
  
"Oh. Reflex."  
  
"Man, they've really tightened up security around here. One too many squatters from the Hellmouth." Xander said.  
  
"Hide out in the cemetery. What a fantastic idea!" Andrew shot at Xander.  
  
"Yeah I'm working on a whole shut-the-hell up pitch I think you'll like too."  
  
"Xander." Dawn said, looking up in the sky with Conner.  
  
"I've had just about as much as I can stand baby-sitting a couple of social retards who don't appreciate." Xander kept going.  
  
"XANDER!" Conner cried.  
  
"What!?"  
  
"What is that?"  
  
Xander, Jonathan, and Andrew looked up to see the huge fireball. Then they heard Buffy and Angel yelling at them.  
  
"Move!" Angel shouted.  
  
"Go! Get out of there!" Buffy screamed.  
  
"Move! Now get out of the way!"  
  
"Xander! Dawn! Look out!" Buffy reached Jonathan and Andrew and managed to tackle them out of the way. Angel only got to Dawn and Conner. Xander was too late. He was blown back onto a headstone and knocked out.  
  
Angel started to help Dawn up when the earth shook and gave way out from under them. They fell into a giant cavern filled with caskets hanging out of the earth.  
  
"Angel! Dawn! Conner! Hold on." Buffy crawled over to where they had fallen and peered in. Then suddenly the ground was gone and she was falling downwards. When she looked up, a sword was headed straight for her face. Buffy rolled out of the way just in time. She stood up and brushed herself off. Angel came over and checked her out for any injuries.  
  
"I'm fine." She said.  
  
He kissed her. Dawn groaned and Conner looked at her. "You sure?" Angel asked.  
  
"Positive." She smiled. "What about you?"  
  
"I'm fine too."  
  
"Are you guys ok?" Buffy asked Dawn and Conner. She walked over to Conner and started to check his face for any cuts.  
  
"Mom! Geez." Conner protested, backing away.  
  
"Sorry. It's a mom thing." Buffy looked at Dawn. "You ok?"  
  
"Been better. Hey, I've been meaning to ask you if I could go to the chiropractor, but don't need that anymore." Dawn said.  
  
Buffy was confused and she looked at Angel.  
  
"She landed on her back." He explained.  
  
"Oh. Ok, now the question du jour is: how in the hell are we gonna get outta here?" 


	33. Grave cont

Chapter 33  
  
They had been stuck in there a while. Buffy and Angel tried almost everything to try to get up there. The sun had already come up. They were all getting a little edgy.  
  
Buffy looked up and around her. "Ok, Angel give me a boost."  
  
"Where are you headed?" he asked.  
  
"See those roots? I'm gonna try to climb out using those."  
  
"Oh." Angel stuck out his hands in a cradle position and Buffy stepped a foot into it. She counted to three, one number for each bounce, then Angel tossed her up. She gripped the roots and held on. "You got 'em?"  
  
"Yeah." Buffy started to climb up. She was doing pretty good until she grabbed a lose root and it gave on her. She fell back down and landed hard on a coffin. "Ouch!"  
  
"Are you ok?" Conner asked.  
  
Buffy stared back up at the opening. "We have to get out of here!" Buffy stood up from the coffin and looked up. "XANDER!?"  
  
"I think I saw him hit his head." Conner said.  
  
"Damn it!"  
  
"Buffy!" Angel said.  
  
"Sorry. This is just really annoying!"  
  
"This looks a little like Spike's old place. Y'know, under his crypt." Dawn said.  
  
Buffy ignored Dawn and headed towards a coffin stuck in the dirt. She started to pull on it. Angel joined her after a second, but nothing happened.  
  
"What are you doing?" Dawn asked.  
  
"We can... pile up some of these... coffins. Give us some height to... Uhh!" she and Angel gave up. Buffy walked over to the sword that had nearly fallen on her face and picked it up.  
  
"Maybe one of the tunnels Spike uses is around here. If we could get to his place." Buffy used the sword to try and dig. "That's the last place we need to be."  
  
"Oh, but it was good enough for you to take me and Conner there after what he did to you."  
  
"What he.?"  
  
"Tried to do, whatever."  
  
"Xander!"  
  
"So it's true?"  
  
"Dawn, we're in big trouble. Now's not the time to."  
  
"Why didn't you tell me?"  
  
"You didn't need to know. And it was a long time ago."  
  
"Yes, I do! I need to know! I'm not a kid anymore..."  
  
"I'm trying to protect you!"  
  
"Well, you can't! Look around, Buffy. We're trapped in here! Willow's killing and people I love keep dying and you cannot protect me from that!"  
  
Buffy stared at her sister a few seconds and then she looked at Angel and Conner. This was all making sense, but she didn't want to admit that. Angel smiled his lopsided smile at her and she smiled back. Buffy turned back to Dawn. "Dawn."  
  
"Hello?" Xander called from the opening above them.  
  
"Xander?" Buffy and Angel moved to the opening.  
  
"Buffy, Angel, you ok? Where's Dawn and Conner?"  
  
"Here." Dawn said as she and Conner stepped up to the opening.  
  
"Jonathan and Andrew up there with you?" Buffy called.  
  
Xander looked around. "No. They must've skedaddled while I was out. Weasels. Whoa." Xander cried as a piece of earth fell from under his hand.  
  
"Xander, try to find a rope or something and get us out of here." Angel called.  
  
"Right. Okay. I'll... take a look around."  
  
"And hurry before." Buffy started, but Anya popped into existence right next to her.  
  
"Holy frijole!" Anya said.  
  
"Anya! What are you doing here?" Angel asked.  
  
"Where's Giles?" Buffy asked.  
  
"He's.still at the Magic Shop." Anya said.  
  
"Giles? Giles is here? You guys didn't tell me that!" Dawn said.  
  
"Did he stop Willow?" Buffy asked.  
  
"No. And things just got a whole lot worse."  
  
"How worse?"  
  
"End of the world worse. Willow's going to destroy it."  
  
"She.she can do that?" Conner asked.  
  
"She can and she will when she gets to where she's going." Anya said.  
  
"Where's that?" Angel asked.  
  
"Big old satanic temple. On Kingman's Bluff."  
  
"There's no temple on Kingman's Bluff." Buffy said.  
  
"Yes there is." Angel told her. "Or, there used to be. It was a temple to Proserpexa."  
  
"Proserpexa...? Who's she?"  
  
"Way up there in the hierarchy of she-demons. Her followers intended to use her effigy to destroy the world. They all died when the temple got swallowed up in the earthquake of '32." Anya explained.  
  
"So, seventy years later Willow's going to make their dreams come true?"  
  
"She's going to drain the planet's life force, funnel its energy through Proserpexa's effigy, and burn the Earth to a cinder."  
  
"Not if I can help it."  
  
"You can't." Buffy looked at Anya. "Something else Giles said. No magic or supernatural force can stop her."  
  
"What does that mean?" Angel asked.  
  
"I don't know. He said 'the Slayer can't stop her.' Then he said a bunch of other stuff... he wasn't too... clear. I should hurry and get back to him. He's... alone."  
  
"What do you. Is he ok?" Buffy asked picking up on Anya's meaning.  
  
"I. I don't think he has a lot of time left." Anya looked Buffy in the eye. "I'm sorry." Then she vanished again.  
  
Buffy's eyes welled with tears before she wiped them away and looked up at the hole. "Xander? Where's that rope?"  
  
"Buffy." Angel said.  
  
"XANDER! Where is he?" Buffy headed over to a coffin and dragged it over to the one she had fallen on.  
  
"You heard what Anya said. What Giles said."  
  
"I heard. And I don't care. I have to try. I'm not just gonna sit here while Willow incinerates what I'm chosen to protect. I have to stop her..."  
  
"Always a slayer right to the last." Willow's voice came from everywhere and nowhere.  
  
"Willow?" Buffy and Angel asked in unison.  
  
"And it is the last, you know. For all your fighting. Thinking you're saving the world."  
  
"Buff." Dawn started to say something, but Buffy threw up a hand to stop her.  
  
"And, in the end, I'm the only one that can save it." Willow continued.  
  
"By killing us?" Buffy asked.  
  
"It's the only way to stop the pain. I. I can't take it anymore. But I know you two. Buffy and Angel, Juliet and Romeo. You're both warriors. You won't go without a fight and I really don't have time for one. But you guys should go out fighting."  
  
"Willow, what do you.?" Angel asked.  
  
"Buffy, it was me that took you out of the Earth. And Darla who put Angel in it and took him back out. Well, now. the Earth wants you both back."  
  
Suddenly all around them, dirt demon things popped out of the Earth. They were hideous and there were bony scissor like things where there hands should be. They were surrounded.  
  
Buffy and Angel looked at each other and then they attacked. The demons outnumbered them all, but Buffy wasn't about to let that stop her. Buffy landed a solid kick to one of the demons before she flipped back and landed next to the two swords. She picked them up and turned to face off with more of the demons. One monster headed towards Dawn.  
  
"Buffy!" Dawn screamed.  
  
Buffy looked over her shoulder as she beheaded two of the demons. The demon cornering Dawn was nearly on her when Buffy came and landed a roundhouse kick on the things head. Then another monster burst from the wall and knocked Angel and Conner back at Buffy and Dawn's feet. Angel stood, vamped out and looked at Buffy.  
  
"I can't take them. They just keep coming." She said to him.  
  
"We need help. Conner, you, and me can't take them." Angel said.  
  
Buffy knew what he meant. She looked at Dawn. "Dawn, will you help us?" Buffy handed her sister a sword.  
  
"I got your guys' backs." Dawn answered.  
  
Angel smiled and Buffy nodded. They fought again, driving the demons back only to be surged back to where they started again. Then, the place started to rock. It felt like an earthquake, but Buffy knew better.  
  
"Willow." Buffy and Angel murmured.  
  
Dawn got backed into a corner and she screamed for help.  
  
"Dawn, I'm comin'!" Buffy called. She got rid of the three demons she was fighting and turned in time to see Dawn roll away from the demon and grab her sword only to pop back up, stab the demon in the chest, then behead him. Everyone, especially Buffy, stared at her incredulously.  
  
"What? You think I never watched you guys?" Dawn asked.  
  
Buffy was speechless. All she could do was stare at her little sister. Then more demons came out of the wall. Buffy, Angel, Conner, and Dawn all formed a back-to-back circle. This was the slayer's family and it made her proud to know them all. Buffy smiled. It was towards both her family and the fact that she was back in action finally. Not just "going through the motions" as she had once sang.  
  
Then she was hit with a kind of vision. She could still see the fight at hand, but she could see Willow and Xander too. It was like a picture over a picture. Xander was shot down by Willow's dark magic and she started to direct some sort of dark funnel thing at a nasty looking statue. Xander got up and blocked the flow.  
  
"You can't stop this." Willow said.  
  
"Yeah, I get that. It's just. where else am I going to go? You've been my best friend my whole life. World gonna end, where else would I want to be?"  
  
"Is this the master plan? You're going to stop me by telling me you love me?"  
  
Buffy shot a few kicks at a demon and knocked him back. She tried to focus on the fight, but Buffy-Buffy couldn't bring herself fully into it, so she let Slayer-Buffy take over the fight.  
  
"Well, I was going to walk you off a cliff and hand you an anvil, but it seemed kinda cartoony." Xander said.  
  
"Still making jokes." Willow said icily.  
  
"I'm not joking. I know you're in pain. I can't imagine the pain you're in. I know you're about to do something apocalyptically evil and stupid and hey, still want to hang. You're Willow."  
  
"Don't call me tha."  
  
"First day of kindergarten you cried 'cause you broke the yellow crayon and you were too afraid to tell anyone. You've come pretty far, ending the world, not a terrific notion but the thing is, yeah, I love you. I loved crayon-breaky Willow and I love scary veiny Willow. So if I'm going out, it's here. You wanna kill the world you start with me. I've earned that."  
  
"You think I won't?"  
  
"It doesn't matter. I'll still love you."  
  
"Shut UP!" Willow made a scratching motion and scratches appeared on Xander's cheek.  
  
Xander stood straight again. "I love you."  
  
Willow made more slashing motions and Xander's shirt tore. He doubled over, but stood back up. "I love."  
  
"SHUT UP!"  
  
Willow blasted him with magic again, but Xander didn't go down despite the fact that he was thrown back a little.  
  
"I love you Willow."  
  
Buffy prayed silently for Xander. She decided to help him. "We love you Willow." Buffy said silently. Willow seemed to hear it.  
  
Willow started to cry. "Stop!" She blasted him again, but the power was leaving her  
  
"I love you."  
  
"We love you."  
  
Xander walked up to her. She started to hit him. Xander took the blows, even though they did hurt. Willow was sobbing and shaking her head. She sank to her knees and Xander went with her.  
  
Then the image faded and Buffy found herself amidst the fight again. But it didn't last long. The monsters started to wail then fall into piles of dirt. Everyone but Buffy looked stunned.  
  
"What happened?" Angel and Dawn asked.  
  
Buffy smiled weakly.  
  
"I... I think it's over, Buffy. The world's still here." Dawn said.  
  
Buffy collapsed onto the broken coffin and started to cry.  
  
"Sorry to disappoint." Then Dawn realized that Buffy was laughing through her tears. "Wait. Is that happy crying?"  
  
"Yeah, dummy... You think I wanted the world to end?"  
  
"I don't know. Didn't you?"  
  
"Dawn. All of you, I'm so sorry."  
  
Dawn went to hug Buffy and so did Angel and Conner.  
  
"It's ok Buffy. It's ok." Dawn whispered.  
  
"No. It hasn't been. It hasn't been ok. But it's gonna be. I see it now."  
  
"See what?"  
  
"You. And Conner. And Angel." Buffy looked back at Dawn. "Things have sucked lately, but it's all gonna change, and I want to be there when it does. I want to see my friends happy again. And I want to see you and Conner grow up. The woman you're going to become... And the man Conner's going to become. Because they're going to be beautiful. And they're going to be powerful. I got it so wrong Dawn. I don't want to protect you from the world. I want to show it to you. Oh, Dawn... There's so much I want to show you, to show you and Conner both." Buffy hugged Conner and Dawn together. She kissed them both on their heads as they all cried. Then she went to Angel. He was crying too. "Angel, I love you so much. I can't believe that even though I had you and Conner and Dawn, in the back of my mind, all I wanted was to go back to the peace I knew in death. But I know now that I don't have to die to get that back. It's right here." Buffy pointed to Angel's chest and used her other hand to motion at Dawn and Conner and Sunnydale.  
  
He pulled her into his arms. She laid her head on his shoulder but decided that she had to kiss him. She leaned her head up and met his lips. They kissed freely for the first time since Angel had first made love to her. Everything had went to hell with them after that night, but now. now it was ok and neither one of them was scared of loving each other like they had that night. They pulled apart, both with the brightest smiles on their faces. They looked at Dawn and Conner and they ran into Buffy and Angel's arms. The four stood and hugged for what seemed eternity before breaking apart.  
  
Buffy and Angel went to work on getting enough coffins out of the wall to stack up and get most of the way up. They climbed up out of the whole and stood in the beautiful daylight. Buffy took Angel's hand in one and Conner's in the other. Dawn held Angel's free hand. They walked through the sunshine and headed home.  
  
FIN! 


End file.
